


Fucking Superb You Funky Little Bat

by TastySins_tm



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: AU- Monsters exist on surface, Cisfem Reader - Freeform, F/M, Multi, Polyamory, Reader is a vampire, Reader is based after an OC, Reader-Insert, and my own species, but my own brand of vampire, but with my own twist, like vampires and werewolves and stuff, vampires are loosely based after bloodlines vamps
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2019-05-25 18:10:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 34
Words: 78,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14982728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TastySins_tm/pseuds/TastySins_tm
Summary: You don't know much- you don't remember your name, your past, or even what you looked like as a human. You only know a few things: How to get food, when you need blood, and when to find shelter. Something you really don't know?Why some walking, talking Skeletons insist on bringing you burnt food every day.Updates on Saturdays, but are not definite due to mental health issues. There are times where I just do not have the energy to write, and may not have chapters ready by the time Wednesday/Saturday roll around. I ask that you be patient with me, when these stretches of time pop up.





	1. Freedom and Food

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Skeleton Squatters and the Landlady](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9816140) by [Tyrant_Tortoise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tyrant_Tortoise/pseuds/Tyrant_Tortoise). 



> "Taylor, aren't you writing a dragon age fanfic?" Yes I am but I have no impulse control and I'm really straight for skeletons.
> 
> This is the fanfic I started because I've been reading a few "reverse harem" fics- namely [ Skeleton Squatters and the Landlady](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9816140/chapters/22041383) by Tyrant_Tortoise. This isn't a reverse harem fic, I don't think, as I intend to do a big Poly Pile with all the skeletons. Because I have no control. If I need to add that tag tho, tell me.
> 
> It's been a while since I wrote an Undertale fic, and my previous experiences were kinda Shitty due to my own stuff going on, but hopefully this won't turn out too bad! Feedback and comments are encouraged, and appreciated! Hope you guys like it! <3

You don’t know how long you’ve been in this place. You know it’s been a few years, but everything has just… blurred together, after a while. You’ve long since stopped paying attention to nearly anything. You barely remembered yourself.

Your name, your sire, your past… all of those were shoved into the back of your mind, as you snarled in your cage. The claws on the ends of your wings clicked on the floor, giant bat-like body pacing back and forth in the confined space. You hadn’t been in human form in so long, you didn’t know if you could go back.

Bastards probably did something to keep you from turning back, anyway.

Not that you can really think about it. You’ve been in survival mode for so long, you can barely be considered a sentient creature, anymore. The Monster Hunters have probably classified you as a feral by now. Like hell they’ll let you out, now. It’s their fault you’re like this.

They don’t feed you. You’re not like regular vampires, only living on bits of blood and food. The Old Blood in your veins burned, just like the sun they sit your cage under to keep you weak. You needed blood and meat and marrow. You were so hungry.

The sun burns your back, but you barely pay attention to it. You can barely think over the noise. Why is it so loud?

Hunters were running, people were yelling. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. You needed out. You were trapped. Danger hunger danger danger DANGER.

You snarled, bashing your weak, thin body against the cage. You screeched in anger, repeatedly throwing yourself against the cage. Your noise stirred up nearby ferals. Hissing vampires and howling werewolves, along with the occasional wendigo and ghoul. You all wanted the same thing.

Food.

You were the first to break out of the cage. You may be weak, but you’re still much stronger than the average vampire. You ignored the calls of the other ferals, stalking down the hall on all fours.

You came face to face with some hunters that were behind the main group. They cursed and yelled when they saw you, barely having time to react as you charged towards them. You were shot full of darts, but managed to tackle a woman to the ground.

“FREEZE, POLICE-” a male voice said, but stopped short when he saw the scene before him. You looked up, snout covered in blood and teeth full of sinews. You swayed on top of the dead body, the other Hunters putting their hands up when they saw the armed authorities.

As the tranquilizers finally kicked in, you heard the man call for the nearest medic. In the back of your drugged mind, only one question rung out:

Why was that werewolf out of disguise?

\----------------

You don’t know when you became fully aware of your surroundings. All you know is that you were in some kind of… hospital?

You were strapped down like a dog, bandaged and recently cleaned. You snarled loudly, struggling to break free. Your “meal” from before had helped you regain your strength. You snapped the weak restraints easily, crawling off of the table.

You wobbled slightly, but thankfully stayed up right.

This place was too clinical- closed in. You were back in a Hunter base, weren’t you? You were going to die here. They were going to kill you.

The door began to open. You bolted out, knocking over the nurse. He screamed for security, but you were already on the way out by the time they got into action.

Your shattered mind was drawn to one area. Your eyes shot towards the mountain in the distance.

You ignored the people screaming and yelling in surprise, as you bolted into the nearest wooded area. You needed to get away. You needed quiet.

You don’t know how long you were running, but you were out of breath when you finally stopped. A large cabin was built out in the middle of nowhere, and you could hear yelling from inside.

Two people were outside, working on some contraption. You crept closer- the idea of food making you impatient- before smelling something… wrong. They smelled like bones- a corpse picked clean. Well, no, not a corpse. They smelled like food.

“That piece goes there-” “Not before this step-” “You’re right, Blue! My apologies”. You stared at them for a moment, wondering what the hell you were looking at, before one of them turned. The smaller one- Blue. You froze in place as he looked directly at you.

Your ears pinned back, and you growled in warning. The taller skeleton turned, both of their jaws dropping in shock.

“Is… is that a bear?” “No, Papyrus, it has wings!” “Do bears have wings?” “Do they????” You, slowly, moved closer. The two went still, watching you. You stopped about ten feet away from them, sniffing loudly. Your attention turned elsewhere.

The tall one- Papyrus- had food to his right. A burger. Your ears perked, and a chittering noise escaped you as you stared at the food. Papyrus caught on quickly.

“Are you hungry?” Carefully, he picked up the plate and set it as far away from his as possible. You eyed the two, before moving closer.

“Should we get someone?” “I think it’s safe, Blue-” You scarfed down the burger in two bites. You looked up, staring at Papyrus expectantly. You let out an animalistic whine, feeling your nearly-empty stomach tighten. 

The boys made faces akin to hearing a puppy cry.

“Stay here, new friend, we’ll get you something,” Papyrus said, startling you as the two nearly bolted into the house.

You almost followed them inside, but you heard a deeper voice yell at them to stop running, and decided not to go into all the noise. You began backing up into the bushes, again, when the two came back out.

“We have food for you!” That got your attention. The taller skeleton dropped a big bowl on the ground, before moving back. The two watched you intently, the smaller one’s eyes literally turning to stars, as you moved towards the bowl.

You sniffed the charred contents. Vaguely, it smelled like spaghetti. Your stomach growled angrily.

Despite how disgusting this food was, you ate it eagerly. It was leagues better than the shit you ate for the past few years.

You heard one of them say “IT LIKES MY COOKING” excitedly. You really didn’t, but you were starving. You were going to dig through their trash, if they took too long.

The smaller skeleton boldly stepped closer, making you look up. You slowed your eating as he got closer. A deep snarl made him stop.

Your pupils slit angrily, watching him out of the corner of your eye. The skeleton yelped, quickly moving back. You relaxed, finishing up the food in the bowl. You licked your snout, wiping the burnt sauce out of your fur.

Another skeleton stomped out of the back door, tall and imposing, and he looked ready to yell. Then his eyelights settled on you.

Then, he magically grew eyes that bugged out at the sight of you.

“What is the meaning of this?!” The other two went to shush him, hoping not to scare you off.

“It found our way here, Boss- it was hungry, and it looks sick!” The pointy skeleton looked over at you, seeing you grooming yourself. He noted bald patches in your fur, tangles and knots, dried blood and possibly-infected wounds. He sneered.

“Get that mangy thing out of here- it’ll attract attention. And disease!” He stomped over, a sharpened bone appearing in his hand. Your eyes focused on him, and you stood.

He was coming to attack you. You felt your fur raise, and you hissed loudly. You lowered yourself, ready to either run or attack.

You felt a shift in the air, and darted to the right. Bones shot up from your previous spot. You snarled, the nicer skeletons coming over to try and stop the new one from attacking you.

“They’re really nice, Boss, and like our cooking,” Papyrus tried to reason, hoping to appeal to his inner chef. Boss scoffed, throwing a bone spear at you. The other two yelled in shock.

You caught the bone in your mouth. The three watched as you snapped the magic weapon in half with your jaws.

Boss looked mildly impressed for a hot second, before he grew even more angry.

“How dare you destroy my weapon, you vermin! Get out of my territory before I skin you!” You hissed loudly, darting into the foliage. The other two tried to call to you, telling their “new friend” to come back. They turned their anger and disappointment to Boss, who simply shrugged them off.

You growled, settling down far enough away that they wouldn’t find you, but close enough to still hear them with your enhanced hearing.

You’ll dig through their trash later in the night, get your fill, and then run towards the mountain again. You’ll be safe there.

At least, until you need to feed again.


	2. Sick to the SOUL

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always put two chapters up of a new fic, so people can have something to read instead of just one chapter. It's also to show that this is actually a multi-chapter fic, instead of a one-off.
> 
> Feedback and comments always appreciated!

You ended up not returning to the skeleton house that night. You slept through the night, and the day. You woke up disoriented, tired, and in pain. Your wing was stiff, and the arm had a nasty looking wound on it.

The thought of your injury left when you smelled food. It was definitely burnt, so one of the skeletons must’ve cooked again, but it was enough to make your stomach growl. You stalked towards the house, keeping the weight off of your injured wing.

You saw a large plate of food on a table outside. A small fan was on said table, plugged in through a drop cord into the kitchen window, blowing the smell of the food in the direction of the woods.

You scanned the yard, not finding anyone sitting outside, or at the windows. Cautiously, you crept closer to the food.

Three different things were on the plate: a pile of spaghetti, some sparkly tacos, and some lasagna. A note was taped to the front of the plate- not that you could really comprehend the words, at the moment.

“I hope you enjoy the food, new furry friend! Don’t tell Boss we gave you some of his lasagna- he’d be very angry!”

Again, though, you couldn’t read it.

You scarfed down the food. Parts of it were undercooked, while somehow also being burned. You could care less about the quality of the food, though.

Footsteps came towards the door, but you were too preoccupied with the food to notice. Not until you heard a container drop. You looked up, seeing a small skeleton. Not the blue one, though. This one was red, and looked like the pointy, angry one from the other day.

He conjured some bones, looking at the table and seeing the note. He gave an annoyed sigh.

“So you’re what the cream puffs were hiding, huh,” he mumbled, watching as you perked up. He eyed you carefully, noting your insistence on not using your right arm. He sniffed, before scrunching his face.

He could smell infections from here.

You eyed the container on the floor. It contained more of the lasagna. Clearly, he was throwing it out, if he had dropped it so carelessly. He watched your eyes dart between him, and the dirt-covered food. He weighed his options for a second.

He made the bones vanish, before moving away from the food.

“You hungry?” He took on a tone like you’d talk to a sick dog, but with an underlying patronizing tilt. You could care less, though.

When you saw he wasn’t moving any closer, you limped towards the food. You flipped the overturned container out of the way, the lid having popped off. You sniffed the food, making sure there wasn’t anything dangerous in it- making sure it wasn’t a trick.

You eagerly dug in, when you realized it was safe. The short skeleton grinned slightly.

“Better than Boss finding it in the trash, I guess”. He crouched down, getting a good look at you as you ate.

“What the hell are you,” he mumbled, before turning to the door as someone came out.

“Oh, they’re here-” Papyrus stopped short, spotting the skeleton crouching in front of you. He and Blue fidgeted, orange and blue blushes covering their faces.

“R-Red, uh-” “This is what y’all been hiding?” Papyrus and Blue stood up straight.

“We were not hiding anything!” “Yeah, we were just, uh…” Blue tried to think of an excuse. Papyrus sighed, slouching slightly.

“We just… wanted to help them, Red. They’re hurt, and sick! I’m sure you can tell!” Red looked you over again. You had finished eating, and were licking your chops. You stared at him expectantly. Obviously, you still wanted more food.

Red sighed, running a hand over his skull. He looked at the two skeletons that were making puppy eyes at him.

“... We patch it up, then send it on its’ way, okay? It’s a wild animal, guys. We can’t treat it like a pet-” You growled, catching his attention. You weren’t a wild animal. You may not be all there, self fractured from captivity, but you can recognize bullshit when you hear it.

“Thank you, Red,” the other two said, before bolting inside to grab medical supplies. Red stared you down, eyes flicking down to your chest. His sockets seemed to widen as he focused on that spot.

You tilted your head, before laying down in your spot. Your wing hurt, and you felt sick. Was it from the food, or the wounds? You had no clue.

Red’s grin was tense as the other two finally came back out. The smell of medical supplies made your pupils slit, and you stared at the two intensely. Their smiles faltered.

“We… just want to help you, new friend,” Blue said, slowly walking closer. You looked between him, Papyrus, and Red.

“We didn’t properly introduce ourselves, did we? I am… the, uh… the magnificent Blue!” He faltered as you began snarling.

“Blue-” “And this is the, um… the great P… Papyrus…” You stood, hissing loudly. Blue stopped, sockets wide and seemingly-eternal smile gone. The noise seemed to attract more people, and three bodies emerged from the house.

The angry skeleton, another short one, and another tall one. All of their sockets widened, although Boss yelled that he thought you were gone.

A wall of orange bones blocked you off from Blue, making you stumble back. Blue turned, seeing the tall one in the orange hoodie had a glowing eyelight.

“Papy, it-” “What the hell is going on here,” the new short one asked, pulling his hands out of his blue jacket.

“Our new friend is hurt, Sans,” Papyrus explained. “We wanted to help them-” “That’s not your friend, Papyrus, that’s an animal,” the new tall one huffed, moving the wall back. It made you back up.

“They’re injured! Their wounds are infected!” “Then we need to call animal control,” Sans said, pulling a phone out. Your ears perked, and you roared angrily. You jumped over the wall, charging at Sans. He was caught off guard, but then his socket glowed a deep blue.

You felt a heavy weight on your chest, and were dragged to the ground. You wheezed as Papyrus yelled for his brother to let you go. Red walked over to Sans, mumbling something to him and the tall one.

The two looked at you, focusing on the spot Red stared at earlier. Their faces became grim as they watched you struggle. Pathetic whines and vicious snarls left you as you writhed. Sans seemed to start sweating, before he put his phone away.

That, instantly, made you calm down. Somewhat.

You were still struggling, but the urgency was gone. Papyrus and Blue were pulled back into the house, before you were finally let up. The door slammed shut.

The skeletons watched you through the window. You seemed to think that they were gone, as you let yourself appear vulnerable. You clawed at your chest, wheezing in pain.

“They’re sick,” Blue whispered. When you were under Sans’ magic, all of the skeletons could see your SOUL.

They knew you were a surface monster, now. Surface monsters had upside down SOULs, like Underground monsters. The difference between the two was that surface monsters’ SOULs had the strength of humans, and their attributes.

A fractured, Brave SOUL was what greeted them.

“Something is deeply wrong with them,” Papyrus agreed. “Maybe we should call Frisk? O-or the surface monster authorities?” Sans was quiet.

“The surface monsters’ ambassador did say that… we should call, if we are “bothered” by anyone,” Blue agreed.

Sans thought back to when they met the monsters’ ambassador, and his protegee. Leonardo was stern, but he cared about what happened to monsters- Surface and Underground alike. His protegee, Alex, was much less stern, but he had a kind SOUL. The two could definitely help.

They explained what ferals were, and knew you were in that category. Sort of. They could get rid of you, and the skeletons would be left in peace.

But… he knew the wrong move could end very badly. And you, clearly, had a problem with authority. You were also aware enough to know what a phone was, and what it was used for.

Sans watched you limp back into the woods, eyeing your swollen wounds. He sighed, pulling his phone out.

A higher pitched voice answered, and Sans wracked his brain for their name.

“Uh… Arle, right?” “Speaking”. Sans let out a small sigh of relief. Which they apparently caught, because the Emthrall on the other side snickered.

“Is, uh… Alex home?” “May I ask who’s speaking?” Of course he’d forget to clarify.

“Sans- the skeleton”. “OH right. You still owe me another one of those good hot dogs, by the way”. Sans snorted, walking to the nearest chair.

“Got ya. Anyway, is he around?” “Right, sorry- he’s out of town for the week with Leonardo. Something wrong?” Sans cursed quietly.

“We’ve got one of those… feral things-” “How dangerous?” Their tone grew serious.

“It’s injured, but not really attacking unless we get close. But, I think I should clarify; I don’t think it’s… fully feral, if that makes sense”. Arle was quiet, so Sans elaborated.

“I pulled out my phone to call animal control, because I thought it was just… a weird animal, at first, and it freaked out. When I put the phone away, it… calmed down”. He left out how he had it trapped with his magic.

“I think it knew I was trying to call someone”. Arle hummed, mumbling something as he heard them walk through their house.

“What’s your address again, Sans?” “Why?” Arle explained that they’re going to come down, with a friend, to scope out the scene. Sans grew nervous.

“You sure that’s a good idea? You’re not exactly a powerhouse, from what I remember”. Arle scoffed.

“Oh, hush- I’m not about to come fight the thing. I’m just bringing a friend to help evaluate this thing. I may not be part of Leo’s police force, but I’ve been around long enough to know how to help a feral,” they said, writing down the address as Sans told them.

“You guys aren’t in immediate danger?” “No, it ran after we got inside”. Arle grunted slightly.

“We’ll be there tomorrow, then, to see if it’s still around. If it shows up again, and seems dangerous, call me”. Sans told them that he understood, and then hung up with the Emthrall.

“Well,” Red asked, sitting next to Sans. Sans huffed.

“Alex’s spouse is coming over- the Emthrall”. Red’s grin widened.

“Right- the cute little thing at the meeting”. “Disgusting,” Boss mumbled, going back to the kitchen. Sans rolled his eyelights.

“They’re going to be here tomorrow to see how bad the situation is. Alex, himself, is gone for the week with Leonardo. They seem confident”. Red snorted.

“That little thing? Take on THAT? Are they crazy?” “They said they weren’t going to fight it- just… evaluate it”. Sans got up.

“Just keep an eye out for it tonight, and we’ll deal with it tomorrow, otherwise". He got a chorus of grunts, and some concerned mumbles from Papyrus and Blue. Sans sighed, rubbing his face as he walked to his room.

He’s really fucking tired.


	3. In The Woods, Somewhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got impatient and wanted to post chapter 3 :3

As promised, Arle’s car pulled into their driveway the next day. Sans was sitting outside, waiting for them. Two surface monsters exited the car, both the same species.

Emthralls were… interesting creatures. Arle explained, when they first met, that they feed off of emotional energy. Their bodies change colors depending on the primary emotion they feed off of.

Arle’s short- shorter than Sans-, and their human disguise has very dark skin with a faint tint of purple. Their companion was a woman with blonde hair, and her skin was pale with a yellow tint. The woman was a bit taller, but not by much.

Emthralls were really fucking short.

Papyrus emerged from the house, grinning happily.

“Hello, friend! It is good to see you again!” “Good to see you, too, big guy”. Arle shook Papyrus’ hand, while he introduced himself to the new woman. The two Emthralls walked up to Sans.

“Sans, this is Sylvi- my mother in law. She’s worked with a lot of semi-ferals over the years, and is one of Leo’s go-tos for this stuff”. Sylvi smiled, shaking Sans’ hand. Sans’ grin grew a little.

“Nice to meet you, miss. ‘M Sans, and you already met Pap”. “It’s nice to meet you boys, too”. Sans gestured for them to come in, and everyone went inside.

Arle and Sylvi sat on the loveseat, and Sans sat in a recliner. Papyrus went to go get their guests some drinks.

“So, what did it look like?” “It was big- thought it was a bear, at first, but it had wings”. Sylvi hummed.

“Vampire, definitely,” she said. “Some vampires have these… more monstrous forms, like that. These vampires tend to be more… instinctual, than most. And more likely to turn feral”. Sans nodded in understanding. Papyrus came back with water, setting the glasses down. Sylvi gave him a quiet thanks, before taking a sip.

“Has it hurt anyone,” Arle asked. Sans shook his skull, but his grin was tense.

“Almost, but we managed to stop it. One of our, uh… brothers got too close to it, and it almost snapped at him. It charged at me when I pulled the phone out, like I said, but other than that it hasn’t hurt anyone”. Sans glanced at Papyrus, who was fidgeting nervously.

“You… you won’t hurt them, right,” the taller skeleton asked, looking at the Emthralls warily. Sylvi quickly shook her head.

“Oh, no, dear! We won’t hurt them, if we can avoid it. Arle and I are here to assess how sentient this creature is, how bad their injuries are, and the best course of action to take care of them,” Sylvi assured. Papyrus relaxed a little, but was clearly still anxious.

“Mind if I come along,” Red asked as he entered the room. Papyrus perked up.

“And, ah, me as well! I can… lure them out with, uh… with food!” Sans’ grin was tense.

“I don’t know about that, Papyrus- this can get dangerous,” Sylvi tried to argue. Red leaned over the back of Sans’ recliner, giving her a look.

“All the more reason to bring us along. We can fight- and four against one gives us an advantage”. Papyrus shot him a small glare. Red shrugged.

“I mean they’re clearly scared, Red! They’re hurt! They recognize that I can give them food- if they see the food, they’ll be more likely to come to us!” Sans hated that Papyrus was right.

“You, me, and Blue are also the only ones that haven’t attacked ‘em,” Red pointed out, making Sans stiffen. Arle frowned, crossing their arms. White eyes stared into white eyelights.

“Wanna elaborate?” Sans sighed.

“... Boss was the first to drive them away. When it almost attacked Blue, his brother Stretch used magic to block their path. When they charged at me, I used my own magic to pin them down for a few minutes”. Arle rubbed their face, running a hand through their white hair.

“Okay, that definitely does complicate things, a bit. Won’t trust us coming after them”. Papyrus stepped up.

“They may not… trust me, per say, but they do know I can give them food, like I said!” Arle huffed out a laugh.

“And to a feral, that’s good enough to lure them somewhere”. Arle stood, Sylvi following the motion.

“Alright- Papyrus, Red, you’re coming with us. But you follow our lead, and don’t do a thing without our permission. Understood?” Papyrus nodded eagerly, going to get a container of food. Red gave a lazy salute.

Sans was tense, and angry. Arle stared at the cloud of emotions swirling around the skeleton, before walking over to him.

“Hey, we’ll keep them safe,” Arle assured. “Sylvi and I have been dealing with ferals for a couple hundred years- in our own ways, sure, but we’ve done it”. Sans hesitated, before Red came into view.

“I’ll keep an eye on Papyrus. Don’t worry, Vanilla,” Red said, patting Sans’ shoulder hard enough to jostle him. Sans sighed, holding his hands up.

“Alright, alright,” he relented. “Just… call me if something goes wrong”. Red nodded as Papyrus came back into the room. He had a large container some of burger patties and fries that have been in the fridge.

“Be careful, guys,” Sans said, eyeing Papyrus specifically. His brother grinned, patting his skull.

“Don’t worry, Sans! We’ll help our new friend quickly, and safely!” Sans felt himself relax a bit, despite his lingering anxiety.

“I know you will. Good luck”. He waved the group off, sighing heavily.

He needed something to eat.

Arle and Sylvi took the lead, following Papyrus’ directions on where you had run off to. The group was quiet, so Red finally decided to speak up.

“... Bein’ feral ain’t a permanent thing, is it?” The Emthralls were quiet, which made Papyrus grow antsy.

“... It can be,” Sylvi answered honestly. “There are some that can come back from the brink, in the sense that… they can integrate back into society. But… when you become feral at all, there’s some things that stick, no matter what”. She seemed to hesitate, so Arle finished for her.

“There’s a chance that they’ll have to be locked away- for their own safety, as well as yours”. Red got the feeling that there was more to it than being “locked away”, but chose not to bring up the issue. Not with Papyrus already on the verge of tears. Sylvi seemed to notice the taller skeleton’s despair.

“Don’t worry- from how they sound, there’s a big possibility that they can get the help they need! It’s just a matter of, uh…” she caught sight of something nearby “finding… them”. The rest of the group followed her gaze.

A deer was sprawled on the ground, belly torn open and chunks of skin missing. The bite marks were too big to be a wolf. So either a bear, or their “friend”.

“Alright… that means it’s… recently eaten,” Arle said slowly, stepping around the deer carcass. “It’ll… be less likely to fight, most likely”. They began walking again, the group treading slowly now.

More evidence of you being around cropped up. Scratches in the bark of various trees, and dried blood on the grass and foliage. Arle’s face scrunched when they caught wind of you, as well.

“Ugh… been a while since they had a bath,” they mumbled, before turning to Papyrus. The skeleton straightened up.

“It’s nearby, so I went you two to set the food up. If you’re sure it’ll recognize you as the quote-unquote “safe” ones, you two sitting nearby will lure it out”. The skeletons nodded.

“One second,” Sylvi started,motioning or Papyrus to hand over the food. He hesitated, but gave it to her. She dug through her large bag, pulling out some kind of jar.

“This is a special medicine of my own making,” Sylvi explained, pouring some powder into the container before closing the lid and shaking the food around. “It’ll relax them, and possibly make them fall asleep for a while. It won’t hurt them, don’t worry, but they’ll be less likely to fight us when we come in to try and treat their wounds”.

Red really didn’t like the idea of that. And from the look of it, neither did Papyrus.

“Are… you sure there isn’t another way?” Arle was giving Sylvi a look as she handed the container back.

“There should’ve been, but Sylvi decided to do something without telling me”. Sylvi glared at them.

“You should know that this will be the safest route, Arle!” “Yeah, just like cutting me off cold turkey was the best bet, too, and look how that turned out”. The two had a small stare-off, before Red coughed.

“Alright, so don’t use the food right away, apparently” Arle huffed, before Sylvi could stop them. “Only pull it out if they get too agitated. We need you to try and talk to them, so we can see how feral they are”. Red nodded in understanding, as did Papyrus.

“We’ll be nearby, so if something happens we can jump in”. The skeletons started walking a bit ahead. They didn’t hear the Emthralls walking behind them, but they trusted that they’ll be nearby.

Well, Papyrus trusted them, anyways.

The skeletons stopped after a minute, catching the sight of a large, furry body in the mouth of a small cave. A deep, watery wheezing noise came from you, an easy indication that you were ill- and asleep.

At least, you were until Papyrus took one step too many.

You suddenly shot your head up, disoriented and angry. The skeletons stopped, watching you carefully. The three of you eyed each other, before Red sat down in his spot. He motioned for Papyrus to follow, and the taller skeleton did so.

“Hey, there, buddy,” Red said slowly, making your ears perk. He felt himself sweating a little, feeling anxious. And wondering why the hell he decided to come out here and do this.

“We, uh… came out here to give you lunch, but it seems you… beat us to it, huh?” He glanced at the detached deer leg that was laying in the mouth of the cave. You began to scoot back, and Papyrus looked like he was about to get up and try to get closer.

Red thought quickly. How the hell are they supposed to see if you aren’t a feral?

“... You been around here long,” he blurted out, but it seemed to catch your attention. You stared at him, eyes wide and pupils dilating slightly. A slight tilt of the head showed him that you were, possibly, confused.

“I mean I guess not, since ya just showed up. We ain’t been out here too long, either. Only moved out here like… a month ago? Is that right, Papyrus?” “Oh- yes! It’s barely been a month!” He suddenly huffed, saying Sans still hasn’t finished unpacking. Red snorted, admitting that he hasn’t, either.

The banter made you hesitate. They were just… talking to you. They weren’t treating you like an animal, or a sick pet. It made you uneasy, but at the same time… you were a little relieved.

Red looked you over, seeing your wounds. He scowled slightly.

“Shit probably hurts, huh, bud,” he said, nodding to the dirty gash and dried blood. You looked down at them, before quickly snapping your eyes back to his. You didn’t want to look at your injuries.

“We… got some friends that can help. They’re hiding out”. You immediately started growling, but he held up his hands.

“I’m telling you this because I want you to know they’re here. I figured it’d be better to be honest- no point in trying to ambush you. That’d just make you out to be an animal, when you try to defend yourself. And you’re not an animal, are you?” Your ears drooped.

“Just cause you’re rough around the edges doesn’t mean you’re an animal,” Red huffed, thinking back to some people who’ve treated him like HE was a true monster, just cause he’s got some anger issues.

“We want to help you,” Papyrus added. “And our friends can do that better than we can! We know you’re hurt, and they’re getting infected!” You all were silent after that. You looked between Red and Papyrus, trying to see if they were lying to you. Or luring you into a trap.

Honestly, though? At this point, you were just… too tired. You were hurting. You can barely hunt like this- the only reason you caught that deer was because it was caught in a trap. You knew you wouldn’t be able to hunt for blood. A deep whine left you.

You stood, slowly limping towards Red. You were unsteady on your feet, and the exertion from this alone was enough to cause that sickly wheezing again.

You didn’t get too close to them, but close enough to show that you were going along with whatever they had in mind. You flopped down with a huff, laying on the ground. You stared at Red with tired eyes as he waved a hand towards the bushes nearby.

You heard them rustle, and two new people showed up. You growled weakly when the woman began touching you, but made no move to actually bite her.

Red watched you fall asleep as Sylvi began cleaning your wounds. She told the two that there’s a special hospital that you can be taken to, to get proper treatment. While Arle called said hospital, she gave you something to help you sleep through the ride there.

“... Nothin’s gonna happen to ‘em, right?” “In terms of anyone actually hurting them, the chances are low- especially now that we’ve determined they’re not fully feral”. Papyrus let out a relieved sigh.

“As for making it through their wounds, that can be a bit trickier. Thanks to how Monsters have advanced medicine, though, I think they’ll be alright”. Monster food and healing magic have advanced the medical field in the short amount of time Monsters have been on the surface. Most injury-based visits end with the person making a pretty good recovery, now.

“Can we visit, when they’re better,” Papyrus asked. Sylvi hesitated, but Arle spoke as they hung up their phone. 

“Of course you can,” they said, eyeing Sylvi as she frowned. Clearly, she was going to say no, for some reason. “Having you two around might help their recovery, as well”.

“Will they be able to come back, after they’re recovered,” the tall skeleton continued. Even Arle hesitated, this time. They thought for a second, sighing slightly.

“Don’t know about that one. They’ll need therapy, and a lot of help. Visits are fine, but I don’t know if they can live out here where people can’t keep track of them-” “We can!” Arle snorted slightly at Papyrus’ outburst.

“I don’t doubt you can, but these things are tricky, big guy. You need to go through a few steps to house a rehabilitation patient”. That seemed to give Papyrus a thought. Red could pretty much read his mind, and felt himself sigh. Papyrus spoke not a second after the exhale.

“And what steps would those be?”


	4. Tacky and Warm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These super fast updates aren't going to be too common. I've just been on a roll and have written a few chapters ahead of time, so I decided to post one more before next Saturday.

“Absolutely not,” Sans said, arms crossed and usual grin gone. Papyrus gave his brother a small glare, which threw Red for a loop. It wasn’t often Papyrus actually got angry at Sans.

“Brother, they need our help! We’re all strong enough, and fast enough, to keep an eye on them,” Papyrus argued loudly, catching the others’ attention. As the other three skeletons came in to see what the commotion was about, Red went to go make himself some food.

“I assume the beast is gone, then,” Boss asked, propping his hands on his hips. Papyrus’ glare switched to his alternate self, who was surprised at the anger in the gaze.

“They are not a beast, Boss! They’re SICK, and they’re going to a hospital to get treatment. And Arle gave me information on how to help them even more!” Blue seemed to perk up at the idea, asking what they could do. Papyrus’ mood shifted from angry to excited.

“There is a program to help surface monsters that are… on the same path our friend is on. We would bring them into our home and-” “ABSOLUTELY NOT,” Boss screeched, startling his doppleganger out of his talk.

“We are NOT bringing that FILTH into the house!” The sucker stick in Stretch’s mouth shot up as he glanced at the angry skeleton.

“I don’t quite agree with the statement,” Stretch started “but I have to agree Boss- that thing ain’t coming in”. Blue frowned at his brother, asking why not. Stretch sighed, running a hand over his skull.

“Bro, I know you care about it, but it’s dangerous. It almost attacked you, and Vanilla”. Sans really hated that nickname. Blue stomped his foot, and Papyrus crossed his arms.

“They are not an “it”,” Papyrus huffed. “They are a Monster, like us! Well, not like us, but… oh, you know what I mean!” Boss let out a laugh, one that made Red sneer slightly. He stepped out of the kitchen with a cold slice of pizza.

“Creampuff’s right,” Red grumbled, standing next to the Papyrus in question. Everyone was surprised to hear Red’s agreement- especially his brother.

“The guy’s sick- you all saw the same SOUL I did. Trauma works differently for surface monsters, apparently”. Everyone- well, everyone who was there- thought back to the nearly shattered SOUL. The fractures ran deep, and the color was so dim it was almost completely Underground Monster white.

“Keeps up the way they’re going, now… something’s gonna shatter, in them. SOUL or not”. That seemed to make Stretch think about it, at least. Red’s not too surprised- Stretch was a big softie. The orange-clad skeleton gave Red a curious look.

“And what’s got you so invested in this?” Red shrugged, ignoring Boss’s piercing glare. He ate some of his food, but it was clear the others weren’t going to let him get away without answering. He sighed, annoyance etched onto his face.

“Look… I just don’t like the idea of brushing them off as a freak, or something, just cause they’ve been through some shit”. Boss’s glare eased up a bit, and Red knew he could relate. Sans and Stretch, as well as some of the other monsters, weren’t… super inviting, when he and Boss showed up.

“And from how the yellow one acted around them, I feel like they’ll be pawned off onto someone who won’t actually give a shit”. Sans gave him a look, raising a brow ridge. Red nodded to the container of food that Papyrus was still holding.

“Drugged the food immediately. Kept talking like they were bound to just attack us right away. Arle definitely knew something was wrong with it, and told us not to use the food unless they were actually angry”. Sans’ anger ebbed away, slightly. Or, well, it was directed at someone else, at least.

Papyrus went to throw the drugged food out, now that it wasn’t needed. The five skeletons left in the living room were quiet, thinking over the new information.

“.. We need to help them,” Blue said, voice uncharacteristically quiet. Stretch looked like he wanted to say something, hand moving to comfort his brother, before deciding against it. The limb dropped to the side, before going back into his hoodie. Papyrus came back, fidgeting nervously at the tense atmosphere.

“Perhaps if… you all read the information Arle told me to look up!” The group looked to Papyrus as he talked. “The website to sign up would have better information on the program, and Arle also told us where to get certified! Not everyone has to be certified, as well, if you don’t want to!” Sans and Stretch looked to each other, then at Red. Red shrugged.

“Told ya already, I’m on Creampuff’s side with this one”. He finished his pizza, wiping his hands on his jacket, before going to his room. He’ll leave Papyrus, and now Blue, to the convincing. Right now, he was going to do whatever the hell he wanted.

Red sat down at his laptop, pulling out a paper that held the websites’ domains. He went to the registration site, first. To submit his application, of course.

\------------

It was almost a month before they got the call from Arle. The moment Sans relayed the message, saying it was okay to visit, Papyrus was already piling into his convertible. Blue insisted he come along. As did Stretch, once Blue invited himself to the visit.

Sans had to stay behind to work, and Red said he had some calls to make. Boss just outright said he didn’t want to go. So , Blue, Papyrus, and Stretch made their way to the hospital Arle directed them to.

The bright blue Emthrall behind the reception desk pointed them in the direction of the feral wing- the door to which needed to be opened by a nurse that was to lead them to the correct room.

“Why all the security,” Stretch asked the werewolf. The woman explained that ferals are dangerous, and some tried to escape their rooms often. The heavy doors at the exits were to keep escape ferals contained to the correct wing, until security could retrieve them.

“The one you’re visiting is a nasty thing, too,” the woman huffed. “Nearly took off a few hands whenever they try to treat her”.

“No one’s hurt them, though, right,” Papyrus asked. The woman shook her head, stopping in front of a door.

“Oh no, she hasn’t been hurt!” She opened the door, which led into a room that was sectioned off by strong glass. Behind the glass was their vampire- looking better, but not happy.

You were shaved down, fur having been full of mats and dried blood. You had bandages everywhere, and stitches in various spots. You also had a muzzle on, and your claws had been forcibly filed down to small, rounded nubs. You were idly pawing at the glass, before your gaze focused on your visitors.

You stared Stretch down, remembering when he used his magic to block you from the smaller skeleton at his side. Your ears pinned back, eyes slitting slightly as anger bubbled in your chest. As if sensing your thoughts, he held his hands up in surrender.

“Is it okay to let her out,” Blue asked, looking up at the werewolf. She seemed to think for a second.

“... Y… yes, it should be fine- the security is just outside, so we can hear if something goes wrong. She’s been… calmer, lately, and she’s recently fed, so she should be fine”. The werewolf went to the door, opening it slowly. You made no move to leave, thinking it was a test to see if you’d escape.

“You let security know when you’re done, okay?” Stretch nodded, and the woman left to go to her other patients. Blue wanted to get closer, but Stretch kept a tight grip on his shoulder. Papyrus stepped a little closer to the doorway to your part of the room, holding a large box in his hands.

“Hello, friend! I’m glad to see you’re looking better!” You clicked your teeth together under the muzzle, huffing slightly. Looking better? Yes. Feeling better? Hell no.

“Arle said it was okay to bring you gifts- so Blue, Red, and I took the opportunity to do so!” He set the box down, he and Blue digging through it to pull out their respectful items. You watched them closely, leaning your head forward slightly to sniff at the box without getting too close.

“The first one is a gift from Red, since he couldn’t be here! You remember Red, correct? He’s the one that was with me when we went looking for you!” You let out a huff, thinking. Yeah, you remember Red. Papyrus took your huff as confirmation. It kind of was, so he wasn’t wrong.

He pulled out a large, black blanket. It had skull and crossbones designs on the fabric, and was thick.

“Red says he knows hospitals are cold- he’s been to one a few times since coming to the surface! When Arle told us you were shaved, he wanted to get this for you to keep you warm!” Stretch snorted.

“No way he got that mushy!” “Well… he just said “this is tacky and hospitals are cold”, but I know his true intentions are much nicer than that!” He set the blanket to the side as Blue pulled out his gift.

“This is from me!” It was a large box with holes in the top. “I had my brother help me make it!” He patted said brother’s arm, getting a smile from Stretch. You looked up at the tall skeleton agan, who nodded. 

“Yeah, I had a hand in makin’ it for ya, bud”. Blue pressed a large button on the top, easily accessible for you, and a small toy rat began popping in an out of the holes slowly. You immediately focused on the movement, eyes slitting slightly at the idea of catching something.

“It’s a toy to keep you from getting too bored. If you manage to tap the mouse, you get a treat from it!” Blue lightly smacked the top of the toy, and a compartment tray popped open that held some kind of food in it. Blue closed it back up, setting it down.

“And my gift-” Papyrus pulled out a large, thick stick made out of some kind chewable material “while not as technically impressive, is good for you! Arle said that you have a tendency to chew on things, so they helped me find a special chew stick used for, eh… werewolves, I think?” Your teeth clicked together again, and you pawed at the muzzle. Papyrus’ face fell slightly.

“Well… you can’t… use it now, I suppose. But! You can use it when the… muzzle comes off”. You snapped your jaws shut again, growling softly. You noticed Stretch mumbling something to himself, and looked at his mouth as it moved.

He caught you staring, and looked back for a hot second. He sighed heavily, before his eyelight began to glow.

“I hope I don’t regret this,” he said. Your muzzle glowed orange for a minute, before it simply slid off of your face. You stretched your jaw, yawning slightly as the muzzle floated to Stretch’s hand. He set it to the side, before the gifts for you began floating, as well.

“I figured you don’t want use getting close to you,” Stretch explained, setting the items in front of you. Your ears pinned back, and you stared at the items on the ground.

Nearly immediately, you shoved your face into the soft blanket. You made loud snuffling noises, making the skeletons laugh, before shoving yourself under the blanket.

Somehow, you managed to drape it over yourself. You pulled the chew stick over, sniffing it quickly to make sure it didn’t smell like medicine. Thankfully, it didn’t. It smelled like beef, surprisingly.

You began gnawing on it, much to Papyrus’ delight. You let out a deep, pleased whine, your mouth feeling better now that your sore teeth had something to chew on. With fangs constantly growing, and teeth constantly REGROWING due to being knocked out or damaged, this was heaven.

The two more hyper skeletons began babbling to you about what’s been going on since you were last on their property. Talking to you like you were a long lost friend that finally came back into town. Stretch sat down in a chair nearby, a small smile on his face- although he was clearly thinking about something. Something that included you, from the way he was watching you.

Your gaze drifted back to the two skeletons sitting on the floor near your cage. You were still wary around them, but…

For the first time in a long, long time, you felt a deep, satisfied purr escape you.


	5. Road To Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2:30 in the morning counts as Wednesday, right?

So far, the majority of the house wanted to help you. After the hospital visit- seeing you being caged up like an animal, and treated like you were constantly a threat- Stretch decided to rethink not wanting you around. You had fought, when he had to put the muzzle back on you. To keep the nurses from getting suspicious.

The pleading gaze you held unnerved him, to say the least.

The only problem now was Sans. He was the de facto leader of the house, as this was his timeline. The only one who had a problem with that was Boss, but Sans was intimidating enough to put the alternate Papyrus in his place. Sans’ word could overrule any annoyance Boss had. But, Papyrus wanted everyone to be unanimous in this decision.

Which is why he’s dragged both his brother, and Boss, to the hospital. Red was brought along, as well, to play peacekeeper between you and Boss. Since the taller skeleton was the very first to attack you, Red assumes you won’t be too happy to see him.

With them being busy, it took a couple days before they were finally able to actually visit you. Papyrus babbled the whole time, telling the other three how well you looked, and how nice the hospital was. Red grunted, doubting it was a nice as Creampuff thought it was.

The same werewolf that escorted Papyrus the first time took them to you room. She was telling Sans, Boss, and Red the rules from the first time around- no feeding the patients, don’t try to touch them, ect.

“We also can’t allow her out of her section of the room, this time”. Papyrus’ smile fell, and he grew worried.

“Why? They were fine last time!” “Yes, but she’s been increasingly agitated recently, and we don’t want to risk you getting hurt. She still has her muzzle on, in the off-chance she does get out, but I can’t open the door this time”. Sans watched his brother deflate, and looked at the woman again. There was something in her gaze that put Sans, and Red, on edge.

The door to your room was opened, and Papyrus was the first to enter the room. You were sitting in the corner, pawing at your muzzle weakly. He noticed your gifts from their last visit were gone- even the blanket, which wasn’t in the large animal bed you were situated in. You glanced up, but didn’t bother to move.

“We… brought them presents, last time I was here,” Papyrus started, looking at the woman. “Where are they?” The nurse frowned.

“So that’s where those came from. We had to confiscate them, as they were a danger to her. The little box had outside food, and the stick could’ve been broken and swallowed”. Papyrus knew it couldn’t have. Red spoke up.

“What about the blanket?” “She could have shredded it- plus it should’ve been washed before given to her-” “It was washed,” Red pressed, giving her a glare. She crossed her arms.

“Washed in a sterile environment”. Papyrus went over to the glass, Sans following, leaving Red and the nurse in a standoff. Boss was glancing between the two, annoyance on his face.

“And they wouldn’t have it by now?” “We have a lot of items needing to be cleaned. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other patients to help”. She turned on her heel, ignoring Red’s growl as she exited the room. He huffed, walking over to the glass and sitting in a chair nearby.

You looked at him, ears perking slightly. He grinned at you slightly. You thought for a moment, looking between him and Sans. You remembered how the other lazy one had magic, and Sans’ own magic that pinned you down.

You padded over to Red hesitantly, watching for any sudden movements. When the group just watched you, you pressed your hand against the glass to get Red’s full attention.

“What’s it doing,” Boss asked, but you ignored him. You slapped the glass a bit, before pawing at your muzzle. You knew Stretch’s magic to could get it off. You could guess Red had the same kind. You wanted it off. You whined, repeating the actions a couple times. His sockets widened, before a mischievous grin settled on his face.

Your muzzle glowed a bright red, before it slid off of your face. You shook your head rapidly, as if you were flinging water off, as Red snickered.

“You’re a clever little shit, huh. You didn’t even know for sure if I had the same kinda magic, did you?” You let out a slightly amused huff, before yawning. You moved back over to your bed.

“See how smart they are! They’re more than an animal, Boss!” You looked between Papyrus and Boss. The angrier skeleton was squinting at you. So, you squinted back.

“What are you looking at,” Boss demanded. You responded by turning around and, essentially, mooning him. You pretended to stretch, sticking your nubby tail in the air and showing him your ass. He spluttered, while Red snickered.

You sat down, facing the wall, while you heard Boss growl. A sense of smugness came over you, happy to get under Boss’s metaphorical skin.

Red stood, claiming he was going to go get something to eat, and left the three skeletons with you. You watched him go, before turning back to face the wall.

“... Hey, kid”. You turned again, focusing on Sans. Your ears perked, showing you were paying attention.

“... Wanted to… say sorry, for what happened between us”. He was… apologizing? “I got freaked out, when you came at me like that. With how close everyone else was. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt- including yourself- so I thought… that was the best way to go about it”.

You remembered the pain you were in after you were released from his magic. Without thinking, your hand scratched at your chest with dull claws. Sans visibly flinched, drawing your attention to him.

“It hurt that bad, huh?” You could hear the remorse in his voice, seeing his shoulders droop. You grunted slightly.

Sans sighed. He didn’t think your SOUL would be affected that harshly by the magic, but man was he wrong. Putting it under so much strain must’ve felt like it was being ripped out.

Papyrus coughed slightly, pulling Sans out of his thoughts.

“Arle’s mentioned you’ve… started your therapy,” he said, tone optimistic. Your ears drew back at the mention of it. Yeah, you sure have, but you can tell your therapist doesn’t expect you to make any kind of recovery.

He demands you be muzzled and strapped down, when he visits. And he only talks to a couple nurses, so no one else knows that happens. Not like you could tell anyone, anyway.

“They say you’re supposed to be taught to talk again, if you’re able to do so! I hope you can try- I’d love to have a full conversation with you, friend! And learn your name!” … Man, this guy’s optimism is infectious. You actually felt like you’d want to try.

“Sorry to cut the visit short,” the nurse said as she entered, eyeing your un-muzzled face. “But it’s time for an examination. You’ll have to come back tomorrow”. She seemed angry about something. Sans watched the way you slunk to your bed, cowering in the corner. His grin turned tense.

“... We’ll be back tomorrow, kid,” Sans said, pressing his hand to the glass for a second, before leading the other two out. The skeletons faintly heard the nurse growling at you- asking how your muzzle came off. 

She said you were in big trouble, and that statement didn’t sit well with Sans and Papyrus. Even Boss got a little angry. There’s no honor in threatening an opponent that can’t fight back- one that’s lost its’ weapons and strength.

They met Red outside, and he had a few items in his hands. A familiar blanket, chewing stick, and toy. Red was scowling.

“They weren’t washing it,” he said. “These were in the lost in found. They were just taken away from her”. Sans grunted, heading towards the convertible.

“Heard the nurse getting ready to yell at her, after we were all but kicked out”. Papyrus frowned.

“How could they just… treat her like that? She’s sick”. They all piled into the car, Papyrus starting to head back home.

“They don’t see her like they see us,” Boss said, finally speaking up. “I’ve been paying attention, since I’ve been here. Since before surface monsters were outed. They see ferals as a threat to their security”. He scowled.

“It’s disgraceful, threatening someone with no chance of fighting back. Where’s the fun in that?” Red grinned slightly. He may be hiding it, but he can tell this got Boss riled up. Monsters may be rougher, where they’re from, but they’re not heartless. Boss may’ve had to be a hardass, but he’s not as cold as he lets on.

“But… surface monsters walk around freely! Why would they be scared?” Red spoke.

“Cause she’s unpredictable. They can’t control her. If she defends herself, they can frame it to where she blindly attacks people”. Stars know Red and Boss have been on the receiving end of that situation. 

“Like how a lot of surface monsters hated us, when we first came up here,” Sans sighed. The rest of the trip was quiet. Even Papyrus didn’t have anything to say.

When they pulled into the driveway, Blue and Stretch were outside waiting for them. Blue seemed excited, only for his grin to falter when he spotted the items in Red’s arms. The smaller skeleton looked at the group curiously.

“What’s got everyone so down,” Stretch asked. Blue was given the box he and Stretch made, as Papyrus took the chewed up stick. Red gripped the blanket angrily.

“They took her gifts. Shoved ‘em into the lost and found”. Stretch frowned, and Blue’s shoulders drooped.

“Also heard the nurse yelling at her, after we were kicked out,” Sans added, heading inside. Everyone followed.

“It was a disgusting display,” Boss growled to himself, but everyone picked up on it. Everyone sat in the living room.

“Alright… it’s clear our stances have changed, somewhat, on our… little friend, back at the hospital,” Sans started, leaning his elbows on his knees. “We’ve seen… how she’s treated there. How people treated her before she even went to the hospital”. The ones that were there thought back to Sylvi immediately trying to drug you.

“Blue, Papyrus, and Red have been doing their homework on that… housing program. Wanna elaborate on it?” Papyrus perked up.

“Oh, yes! The program includes us housing her, as it implies. We’d give her food and shelter, and we need to be able to help her through her therapy. As well as give her any medication that she needs! We’d be her caretakers, and would be in charge of her!”

“And I imagine, at least, one of you has already registered for this,” Sans asked. Red raised his hand, much to his, and Boss’, surprise.

“Papyrus, Blue, and Stretch are working on their applications now, as the majority of the house needs to be certified. My application was already accepted, though. The lady I talked to said there’s still more interviews to go through, but apparently I charmed the pants off of a few people”. Sans gave him a playful look.

“You? Charming?” “Oh shut up, Vanilla”. Sans snickered slightly.

“... Alright. Does anyone have any objections to bringing her into the house?” Boss spoke up.

“I say we make something for her to stay in outside- I doubt she’ll come into the house right away,” he grumbled. Sans hummed.

“Huh. That’s actually good idea, Boss”. “Of course it is!” Sans grinned slightly.

“Alright, so it’s unanimous. You got those registration sites saved?” Red nodded, getting up to go get the papers.

“Okay, then. Let’s work on getting her out of there”. Blue and Papyrus cheered, hugging Sans gratefully. The short skeleton wheezed, patting their backs. He laughed slightly, pushing down his nerves.

He hopes they’ll let you go, anyway.


	6. Hungly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone wants to contact me- either to ask me about the fic or show me something, you can contact me at my tumblr: itsthesinbin.tumblr.com! My ask is always open, as well as my submissions :3c

For two months, the skeletons visited as often as they could. The only ones that consistently came by, unsurprisingly, were Red and Papyrus. As they had submitted their resumes long before the others and did the interviews, they were nearly cleared for their certifications. No one had told you about their plans, as they wanted everything to be a surprise.

After the eye-opening visit months ago, they had also gotten Arle involved. As an advocate for the more… critical patients, they were on board with the skeletons wanting to help you. As was their husband, Alex.

A firm believer of “everyone deserves a chance”, he got personally involved. Especially when Sans mentioned how he thought you were being mistreated at the hospital. They couldn’t prove anything, at the moment, but Alex has been having people keep a close eye on the hospital- and the feral wing.

Once the majority of the house got their certifications- they were just waiting on Sans’ and Boss’, at this point- they got to work on actually prepping for your arrival. Arle and Alex gave them a basic rundown of what they’d need.

As they didn’t know what breed of vampire you were- Alex said he’d have to get Leonardo involved for that- they were told the bare bones necessities. A sturdy shelter near their house that can easily be seen from the windows. A good amount of blood- Alex gave them the address to a blood bank- and food. Some toys made for werewolves, as Papyrus mentioned you enjoyed chewing on things. As well as extra shady spots around the yard, in case the sun was damaging to you.

When the shelter was finished, they padded the floor with bedding, and placed your new toys inside of it. The skeletons looked at their handiwork. The colors they painted it with were fucking awful. There was blue, orange, red, pink in some spots… it was hideous. 

But, everyone just wanted to be done with it, for now. They can fix it later. All that was left, now, was to bring you home. They got clearance from the hospital, after saying that you were well enough- mentally and physically- to be out of the building.

Papyrus was bursting with excitement. Sans couldn’t help but snicker as he babbled, and Red just rolled his eyes. The other three decided to stay home, as Blue wanted to set up a “welcome” party. Boss had argued against it, and Stretch was just there to make sure shit didn’t hit the fan- or Blue did something that would end up scaring you off.

Alex and Arle met them at the hospital. Sans had asked if one of them could come, because he felt there’d be some… issues. Both were happy to help, at least.

“Nice to see you again,” Alex said, shaking Sans’ hand. The tall vampire grinned in greeting, as Sans nodded. Papyrus ended up hugging Arle, who was wheezing and trying to get put down. Alex was snickering slightly, patting their spouse’s head when they were released. Arle grumbled, cheeks brightening a bit. Alex pinched their cheeks as the skeletons started to walk to the hospital. Arle yelled at him, slapping his hands before power-walking after the skeletons. Alex was cackling, which only caused Arle to yell more.

They settled down as they entered the hospital, but Arle still had an embarrassed scowl on their face. The receptionist looked at the skeletons, and immediately grew nervous. That caught Sans’, and Arle’s, attention.

“You three are here for Jane, right?” The hospital staff had taken to calling you Jane- as in Jane Doe. The skeletons didn’t quite like it, but they understood why. Sans nodded in response to the question.

“Well, there’s been… a complication, today. I don’t think she… can come home-” Alex stepped up, joking air from outside gone.

“What’s going on?” “She, uhm…” A loud screeching from down the hall caught everyone’s attention. A dull, repeated thumping followed the screech. The receptionist tried to say they needed to go.

“These three are her guardians, now, and deserve to know what’s going on here”. “She’s been extremely agitated, the past few days. It’s escalated, and she’s been in this… frenzy”. Alex growled softly, heading to the feral wing. He told the receptionist to open the door for the group.

“Sir, you can’t go in there-” Alex glared at her.

“I am one of the heads of the Feral Rescue division, and my spouse here is one of the lead rehabilitation Emthralls in said division- and, again, these three are now her legal Rescue guardians. You will take us in there, now, or I’ll have to have a talk with Leonardo about keeping one of our rescue patients from us”. The woman paled at his words, and his tone of voice. Arle was staring the woman down, as was Sans and Red.

She ended up opening the doors, and leading them down the hall. Sans didn’t miss Arle patting Alex on the back, after his little talk.

Security was outside your door, and the screeching was growing louder as they approached. Alex demanded they open the door, pulling out some kind of identification to show who he was. The guards hesitated, but did so. The skeletons hurriedly looked inside, as Alex and Arle walked into the room.

You looked like a true animal. You were screeching and screaming, eyes slits and blunt claws scraping at the glass. You threw yourself against the door, slamming your head against it hard enough for a blood spot to stain the glass. Nurses were off to the side, obviously trying to help you, but were too afraid to open the door.

The only one slightly regretting coming was Sans, as he immediately thought about all the ways bringing you home could go wrong. He shook that off quickly, though. He knew you could get violent. They were tough skeletons- they could handle it.

“And you all aren’t trying to do anything,” Alex snapped, turning to the nurses and doctors. They looked sheepish. Alex sneered, a growl erupting from him.

“I can tell there are a FEW werewolves and vampires, here! You all could definitely take a sick feral!” The outburst caught your attention for a second, and you finally looked towards the new faces in the room. When your eyes landed on the skeletons, you went into overdrive.

You began throwing yourself against the door again, loud roars escaping your throat. Surprisingly, the roars began to sound like one word.

“OUT! OUT! OUT! OUT”

It was slurred, and your voice was rough from not talking for who knows how long, but… there was an urgency behind your screams. Arle took the initiative and walked closer to the glass cage.

“Hey,” they called loudly, catching your attention again. “You remember me, right? You know me, kid”. You watched Arle intently, panting and wheezing slightly.

“I know you can talk a little bit- more than just one word. Can you tell me what’s wrong- what’s got you going crazy here?” Your eyes darted to the hospital staff.

“H’ngly,” you snarled. “Hurt hurt huRT HURT”. You slammed your paws against the glass again, startling everyone. Alex’s eyes widened slightly.

“How much have you been feeding her,” he demanded, looking at the doctor. The doctor flinched under his gaze.

“The usual for any recovering vampire. Blood every day, one meal every day”. Alex looked you over, before pulling out his phone.

“What are you doing?” “Making a video call”. When the phone was answered, a deep voice came from the device.

“Alex, what’s going on? I’ve gotten a call that you barged your way into a hospital”. Arle scoffed, mumbling something under their breath.

“I need you to tell me what kind of vampire this is,” Alex said, not explaining himself, before turning the phone towards you. You stared at a pale face that looked like he had a stick up his ass. A Ventrue.

“... Large, tusk-like fangs, underbite, stocky stature… Those traits, plus the form they’re in, make me say Gangrel. Possibly Brujah, but most Brujahs don’t have fangs that large”. Alex nodded, glaring at the doctor.

“Thank you, Leonardo”. “Please explain why you’re there-” “Later, I need to talk to her doctor”. Leo sighed loudly, before just hanging up. Alex did the same, putting his phone away.

“Gangrels are closer to werewolves, and you’d know that if you all were competent at all. Did no one try to figure out what kind of vampire she was?” The doctor tried to defend himself, saying Gangrels were rare so they couldn’t figure it out. Arle sneered.

“More like you didn’t even fucking try, I’m guessing?” The doctor glared at them, but Alex got the man’s attention again.

“You’re going to get more blood for them, as well as actual fucking food, and bring it in here right away before I tell Leonardo that you’re mistreating our rescues”. The staff began filing out of the room, Alex and Arle following.

“We’re going to make sure they actually get a proper amount of food- stay here with her,” Arle said to the skeletons. Red and Sans immediately sat down in the chairs near your cage, and Papyrus nodded to the small Emthrall.

You were left alone with the three, catching your breath from the episode. Sans could tell you were still in your more… instinctual mindset, from how faraway your gaze was. He waved a hand to get your attention.

“That’s what got you all worked up, kid? You weren’t getting fed enough?” “H’ngly,” you slurred, animal-like mouth not wanting to work with your human speech. “... Hurt”. That made the skeletons perk up a bit.

“Hurt? What hurts,” Red asked. You grumbled slightly. You slapped your paws against the ground, frustration growing.

“Hurt,” you said, more determined. Everything hurt. Your body was tired, but you couldn’t tell why. Every muscle constantly felt strained. Your chest felt tight all the time. But, the doctors wouldn’t do anything other than give you some kind of pain medication. One that made you sleep more.

One of the nurses came back with Arle and Alex, moving to set the food down so she could open the door. The moment it was open just a crack, you darted out. She almost called security, but stopped when she realize you were just… inhaling the food and blood. A deep, content purr came from your chest.

The woman excused herself, shutting the door again. It took every ounce of Papyrus’ being not to cry when he saw your little nubby tail wag so hard that your butt was shaking.

Alex, on the other hand, did start crying a little.

“Alex”. “Arle shut up”. Sans couldn’t help but snicker a little, which got a glare from the teary-eyed vampire. As you ate, Red spoke up.

“She said she’s hurtin’”. That caught Alex’s attention. He rose a brow, silently asking how so. Red shrugged.

“She can’t really tell us. She just said she’s hurting”. You looked up as Alex stepped closer. You were wary, but something about this man set your nerves at ease.

That, and you didn’t know that Arle’s been eating away at your anxiety to keep you from getting too worked up, while you were out and about.

“Alright. I know talking can be hard, in that form. Can you show us where it hurts,” Alex asked, crouching down to your height. You licked your chops, ears twitching slightly as you thought.

Not figuring out a way to tell him that your entire body hurt, you sat down. Alex frowned slightly in thought.

“... You’ve… been like this for a long time, right?” He gestured, vaguely, to your body. You looked down, staring at your filed claws. You don’t remember the last time you were anything else.

“You weren’t born a vampire, were you?” Were you? You don’t remember.

You tried to think- tried to go back as far as you could. Small flashes of memories went through your head, too blurred and too fast to comprehend. Your head pounded. It hurt it hurt it hurt-.

You didn’t even realize you started smacking your head against the ground until a blue-glowing pillow was put between you, and the floor.

“No need to get ahead of yourself, there,” Sans said, grin widening when Papyrus sighed. Arle also sighed at the joke, while Red and Alex snickered.

“We’ll get everything settled for you three to take her home,” Alex said, finally getting up. “She’s fine. Just needed food”. “And to get out of this place,” Arle huffed. Clearly, they figured out something everyone else hadn’t.

When they went down the hall, Sans heard Arle begin to talk to Alex about the hostility they’d seen.

You looked at the skeletons curiously, and Papyrus perked up again.

“Right! We came here for a reason, friend!” Your attention snapped to him, and Sans took the pillow away since you stopped trying to hurt yourself.

“We’ve all signed up for a special housing program- you’ll be able to live with us while you get the help you need!” Your ears pinned back. You looked between the three, trying to find some underlying malice in their gazes.

You found none, but you still didn’t trust this.

Your thoughts flashed back to months ago. The tiny cell. The needles. The screaming screaming screaming.

“You have your own little room outside- and the whole yard to yourself,” Papyrus continued, turning your attention back to him. “We might have to do a little more research on your breed of vampire, though- no one knew what you were!” Immediately, you responded.

“H’ngly”. That’s what you were. Sans snorted, saying “same”.

“I’m gonna go fill out the discharge papers,” Red grunted, getting out of the chair he was in. As he was the first to fill in his application, and get his certification, he was technically your primary caregiver. So, most paperwork had to have his name on it.

You watched him go, slowly going back to finish the food in front of you. Papyrus babbled on, talking about all the fun things you all can do together. He’ll make sure to be on top of your food and exercise, and that you’ll get better in no time.

You wished you believed him.


	7. Welcome Home!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its technically wednesday and i dont have anything else to do SO happy update :3 im probably gonna go ahead and post chapter 8, too, bc... well i can and ive already got up to chapter 10 written.

Getting the harness on you had proved to be a challenge, as you snarled anytime anyone got close to you. Sans and Red finally had to use their magic to get it, and the leash attached to it, on you.

You immediately flopped over onto your side, and didn’t move. Alex was wheezing as Papyrus pulled on your leash lightly. Sans and Red were also losing their shit, laughing at the dead look on your face.

“Come on, friend! We need to get you to your new home!” You let out a loud, anguished noise. You threw your head back, mouth wide open as you screamed. No one can stop you. Sans fell over from laughing so hard. He’s on the floor now.

“Somethin’ tells me she hates the harness,” Arle said, amusement in their tone. Sans panted, getting back on his feet.

“Kid, if you-” he snickered at your glare “-come on, we can get home and get it off. You only gotta wear it when we’re out”. You huffed, finally forcing yourself to get up. Papyrus grinned, taking you out of the hospital room.

“Your fur has grown back nicely,” Papyrus said, eyeing you a little as you walked. You shook your body slightly, shaking the bit of fur that you have. Your little entourage escorted you to the lobby, where Red finished up any paperwork he needed.

“You guys got it from here,” Alex asked. “Or do you want us to escort you home?” Sans shook his head, shaking Alex’s hand again.

“Nah. Thanks, though, bud. We really appreciate the help”. Alex smiled, telling Sans he’s happy to help, and to call if something goes wrong. Or if anyone just has a question. Arle and Alex said their goodbyes, and made their way out of the hospital.

“Leo’s gonna kick my ass for calling him and then hanging up like that,” was the last thing Alex said, that the skeletons heard, before the two left. Red finished up the paperwork, finally leading you out of the hospital.

Immediately, you tried to run away when the doors opened.

You were surprised when you didn’t get very far.

You looked back at Papyrus, trying to yank the leash out of his grip. He didn’t even flinch as he held you in place.

“Nice try, friend! The great Papyrus is strong enough to keep you from running off,” he boasted, laughing a little at your annoyed look. You huffed, relenting and letting them lead you to their car.

“... How’s she gonna fit,” Red asked, stopping in front of the convertible. The skeletons stopped, thinking about the situation.

“Well… me and Paps are gonna ride up front. I think she can fit in the back with you, Red,” Sans mumbled. The three started to go to the car. Reluctantly, you followed.

Red got in his seat first, and Papyrus opened the door on your side. You climbed in, forcing yourself to fit in the tiny space.

Then, the door shut.

You flinched, mind going blank as the other two skeletons got in the car. It was too closed in. Too cramped. You couldn’t move.

You began wheezing, dull claws scraping at the seats below you. Red noticed your twitching.

“Hey… hey, kid-” You started shifting. Trying to find more room. The two up front looked back.

“... Open the roof,” Red said quickly. Papyrus immediately went to do so, despite Sans’ protests of you jumping out of the back. Red snapped at him, saying he’ll keep you in the seat.

When the roof was moved back, you let out a relieved whine. Your heart hammered in your chest, but you settled in your seat. You stretched out on the seat, as much as you could.

Red was surprised, when you dropped your heavy head into his lap. He held his hands up, not knowing if it was okay to touch you or not. Sans couldn’t help but snicker as Papyrus began to pull out of the parking space.

Red tried to set his hand, carefully, on your head. You snarled at him, making him jerk the offending limb away. That answers that question, at least.

“You can’t use me as a pillow and then get mad when I try to touch you,” Red huffed, but he didn’t make a move to try it again. He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, as awkward as it was with your head on him. You let out an animalistic grumble, making him snort.

The ride to the skeletons’ home was uneventful, aside from Papyrus yelling at the other two boys for falling asleep on the way there. You only caught the tail end of that shout-fest because you, also, fell asleep.

When you woke, you began to see familiar areas of the woods, and knew you were almost at the house. That, and when you got closer, you could hear Blue yelling excitedly. Papyrus pulled into the gravel driveway, jostling you a bit until the car was finally shut off.

“Heard you had a rocky trip,” Stretch said, making Blue, Boss, and Papyrus yell at him. You were led out of the car, and Red used his magic to get your harness off.

Feeling free once again, you darted into the grass and began rolling around.

“WELCOME HOME,” Blue yelled at your rolling form, making you look up. You snorted the dirt out of your nose, staring at him curiously.

“Come on- we need to show you where you can sleep!” Blue began running towards the backyard, and Papyrus chased after him. You watched them for a second.

P… play? Are they playing? Is that why they’re running?

You hope it is, because you took off after them. Red called out to you, but you paid him no mind. You followed the excitable skeletons into the backyard, seeing them standing near a large shelter.

It looked like a really big dog house, with a large awning shading the opening. Your playful mood gone, replaced by curiosity, you approached the shelter. The two were posing next to the house, proud grins on their faces.

“We all built this just for you,” Blue said. “Boss pointed out that you might not want to be cooped up in the house, so we worked on making you a room out here!” You looked towards the other skeletons who had followed you to the backyard, eyes landing on the tall one in question. Boss huffed, cheekbones turning a slight red.

“I just don’t want the vampire in the house! She’ll drag dirt everywhere!” You could tell he didn’t FULLY mean it, so you didn’t give him too much shit.

All you did was toss a stick at him with your mouth. He glared at you, and you let out an amused huff.

Cautiously, you went over to the you-house. The floor was covered in blankets, and a giant dog bed- well, werewolf bed- was in the corner. In said bed was the chew stick Papyrus got you, the toy Blue made, and the blanket Red gave you.

You began chewing on the stick right away, gums sore and fangs needing to be used. Papyrus looked pleased.

“We also have one more present for you,” Blue said, hurrying back into the house. You sat in the floor of your new house, watching the other skeletons spread out. Sans and Red went inside, talking quietly between themselves. Stretch sat in a lawn chair that was facing your house, sitting with his eyes shut. Boss moved to stand closer to the vampire-house.

Blue ran back outside, carrying a small box. He sat in front of your doorway, pulling an item out.

It was a large scarf, not unlike the ones the three in front of you were wearing. It had blue, red, and orange stripes. It didn’t look great, in terms of color matching, but it was… interesting.

“We made this for you,” Blue explained. “So everyone knows we’re friends!” It began to glow orange, which surprised the skeleton holding it, and moved towards you. The scarf wrapped around your neck loosely. It was secure, but not too tight to freak you out. You looked back towards Stretch, who was smiling at you four. You noticed his eye was glowing.

“Unfortunately, a collar and the harness is gonna have to go on when we take you to town,” Stretch said. “But, my bro, Boss, and Papyrus are gonna make sure that they turn out to be cool as hell”. You grumbled slightly at the idea of a collar, but you didn’t try to fight it.

You explored the little you-house, finding new toys hidden under pieces of blanket. You found a giant bat squeaky toy, its’ little cartoon face grinning back at you with giant fangs. It was tacky, considering what you were.

You immediately looked to Stretch, holding up the bat toy in your teeth. He grinned.

“Like my gift, honey?” You paused for a second, feeling the furry bat between your jaws.

You began squeaking it as fast, and as loud, as possible. Stretch snorted, laughing loudly as you chewed it so fast your entire head was bobbing up and down. Boos shook his head, mumbling something about getting away from the noise, before hurrying back inside.

“Now that you’re here, we’re going to work on making training regimens for you,” Papyrus said, excitedly. You stopped squeaking, setting the toy down to listen to him. You felt nauseous at the idea of “training”. You watched him warily, not that he noticed.

“Arle said exercise is needed, as spending time in the hospital must’ve made you restless. The results from the hospital also say you’re too thin, for a vampire- and Alex said you’re too thin for your species! SO,” he and Blue grinned at you. “We’re going to research a good diet for you- with the help of our surface monster friends- and set up an obstacle course!”

You weren’t terribly excited about the idea, hence the frustrated huff and laying down in the bed. Facing away from them. You could tell they got a little upset, from how they were not-so-quietly whispering between themselves. You began squeaking your toy again, angrily, to try and drown them out. Trying to tell them you didn’t want to talk about that, right now.

They eventually got the idea, because you heard them walk away. And someone else take their place. You looked over, seeing Stretch standing near the opening of your you-house. You eyed him nervously, before laying your head down and not looking at him.

“... I don’t know what’s got ya so nervous- whether it’s from how you were treated at the hospital, or something else, but… I just wanna tell ya that you don’t gotta worry about being mistreated, here,” he said quietly. Your ears twitched, turning back a bit to show you were listening.

“I know you don’t believe me, but I just… wanted to tell you. We’ll treat you right, honey”. You didn’t respond. He stayed for a moment, before sighing.

“We’ll get started on your dinner. The back door will be open, if you need to come in for whatever reason. Until then…” He threw in some kind of hard treat, and it landed near your paw. You sniffed at it. Smelled sweet. You looked at him, seeing a lazy smile on his face.

“Don’t tell the others, but you deserve something sweet after all the shit at the hospital”. He shoved his hands back into his pockets, heading into the house. Where Blue and Papyrus were arguing about what you wanted to eat for dinner. You stared at the hardened honey candy for a second.

You licked it up, letting it sit in your mouth as you gnawed on it. You flopped your head down, eating the treat fairly quickly.

You listened to the three louder skeletons argue through the open door, and window, idly chewing on the stick Papyrus gave you. Despite your anxiety over the idea of “training” exercises, you began to relax out here.

For the first time in a while, you fell into a restful sleep.


	8. Old Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> decided to do a double upload! i do not own abe- he belongs to werewolfbeans on deviantart/werewolfmemes on tumblr! i needed someone that could translate Ordelia's speech patterns that would actually be a rehabilitation volunteer, out of our ocs!

A week later, you all had settled into a nice routine.

Papyrus, Blue, and Boss wake up early, and take turns making breakfast. While two of them set the table, one would bring you your own breakfast. In said breakfast was the vitamins you needed to take. Blood every three days, and three meals a day.

After the other three are woken up, Blue and Papyrus coax you out of your house to join them for morning exercise. Boss doesn’t invite you, but he gets noticeably more into the routine when you join them.

Obviously, you can’t do the same stretches and things they do, but you’ve figured out your own way. They don’t force you to join them either. Papyrus is always the first to assure that you don’t have to join, or keep going if you’re getting tired.

After stretches, they go on a run. It usually ends up in a race between the three skeletons, while you run after them- thinking they’re playing.

Lunch was given to you by another one of the chefs- usually Boss, as he’s the first to get in and out of the shower- and your more serious medication was in that meal.

Dinner was served by the final chef, who was usually joined by his more quiet brother. It was usually a nice time, unless Boss was the one to give you dinner, who claims you eat like an animal and to slow down.

Well, Boss does that no matter what meal he gives you.

And Sunday… was therapy day.

After learning about what happened with your previous therapist, after nearly taking his arm off and doing a very interesting game of Angry Charades, the skeletons kicked the man out and called Arle.

Arle, themselves, were too busy to be your personal therapist. They had suggested Sylvi, but Sans, Red, and Papyrus were quick to say no to her. They didn’t particularly… enjoy her presence, after trying to drug you that day. Arle said they’d try to think of something, but if they couldn’t find an available therapist, they’d have to call Sylvi.

Which is why there are now three people standing on the skeletons’ porch. Well… it looked like two women and a bear.

A tall woman stood in the back, on her phone. The bear-like werewolf was sitting on the porch, and a thin, wispy vampire stood at his side.

“Hello there,” The werewolf started. “I’m Abraham- you can call me Abe. This is my friend, Ordelia. And the woman behind me is my girlfriend, Abby”. Ordelia bowed her head slightly, and Abby waved.

“Ordelia and I are here to be… impromptu rehabilitation workers, until Arle can find more permanent help”. Sans looked up at Abby, who shrugged slightly.

“I’m their ride. Speaking of that-” she put her phone back in her pocket, looking at Abe. “I’m going shopping while you two do this. Call me when the session ends, and I’ll come get you”. Abe nodded, and Abby walked back towards her truck. Sans moved aside, letting the two monsters in. Ordelia held onto Abe’s scruff, following the werewolf into the house. Sans noticed she looked a little dazed.

“Uh… you alright there, ma’am?” She snapped back to attention, putting a wide smile on. Sans was a little… unsettled, for some reason.

“I’m fine, my dear. The blood just tends to take over more than I’d like”. Sans frowned slightly, wondering what she meant. Abe spoke up.

“Ordelia’s a Malkavian- she tends to be a bit… out there”. “As Arle puts it, I am always “out to lunch”,” Ordelia finished, making Sans snort slightly. Red, who was on the couch, looked over at the two newcomers.

“Mind if I sit in on this session,” Red asked, standing. Abe hesitated slightly- not because he didn’t want Red there, but because he didn’t know if it was allowed. Slowly, he shook his head.

“We just ask that you don’t interfere, sir,” Abe said carefully as Red led them outside. Red shrugged.

“Just wanna make sure she doesn’t get too aggressive”. More like make sure THEY didn’t get too aggressive, but he didn’t wanna piss anyone off. Just yet.

When they exited into the backyard, they saw you lounging in your little house. You were idly chewing on your chew stick, watching Papyrus and Blue do a small obstacle course made out of tired and pull up bars. Papyrus, who was hanging upside down on one of the bars, waved to Red and the guests. Blue was too busy actually doing pull ups to notice them. Red snorted slightly.

“Alright, boys, time to go inside. Time for Missy’s session”. Red had taken to calling you “Missy”. You didn’t quite like the name at first, but it was growing on you. After Papyrus and Blue learned of the nickname, and decided how cute it was, they made you a little mailbox that sat outside of your house that had your “name” on it.

Blue and Papyrus hopped off of their course, heading inside quickly. Red sat in a patio chair, pretending to doze off. Really, he just wanted to seem unassuming.

Abe padded over to your little house, sitting down the moment you growled- warning him he was getting too close. Ordelia kicked her shoes off on the back porch, following Abe onto the grass. Red wonders why the hell she took her shoes off, but didn’t question it. Maybe she just likes the grass.

“My, your little home is interesting,” Ordelia purred, elf-like ears twitching and dark eyes scanning the clashing paint. “A lot of love went into making it, hm?” You stared at her, moving to grab your bat toy.

“I’m Abe, and this is Ordelia. We’re here to-” You began squeaking your toy loudly, cutting him off. Red couldn’t help but snicker slightly. You could see him laughing from your spot.

And, promptly, began squeaking it faster.

You finally stopped, when Abe just huffed. Ordelia let out a small giggle, patting her friend’s back. She looked at you, and her eyes seemed to burn through to your soul. It made you hesitate.

“Now, young one, tell me… how have you been feeling?” You felt a strange… need to tell her the truth. You put the bat down, hesitating slightly.

“... Hurt,” you said quietly. Abe seemed to give Ordelia a small, curious look. She didn’t pay any attention to him.

“Hurting? Which part hurts?” Your ears pinned back. For some reason, your heart was hammering in your chest. Your head also felt… fuzzy. Her eyes seemed to glow. You don’t know if they actually were, but you couldn’t look away.

“... All”. Everything was hurting. Seemingly inside and out, your entire body was sore. You flexed your paws, growing claws digging into the blankets below you. Ordelia nodded slowly. You didn’t notice that you, subtly, nodded with her.

“All over, hm?” Her eyes seemed to glaze over slightly, ears raising. Her eyes widened after a moment, a sharp grin settling on her face.

“The you inside needs to come out, doesn’t she,” Ordelia murmured. The cryptic message unsettled you- and Red. The skeleton coughed, coming over to you three. Ordelia didn’t take her eyes off of you.

“Uh… I feel I need to step in here- sorry about gettin’ involved, but… the hell are you talking about, lady?” Ordelia’s gaze finally snapped from you, but the fuzzy feeling didn’t dissipate. She looked up at Red.

“This isn’t her. The body isn’t strong enough- isn’t her’s”. Red reeled back slightly. Abe put a giant paw on Ordelia’s shoulder. She blinked, turning to her companion.

“Ordelia… you’re going somewhere that we can’t really go,” he said bluntly. Ordelia huffed slightly, closing her eyes and taking a breath. Trying to calm herself.

“This body is yours, Abe,” she said, putting her hands on his shoulders. “The you inside is not the one that stays out. Her body-” she pointed to you “is not the one that should be out. At least, not this long”. She waved her hands slightly, trying to get the words out in a way that Abe understands.

“The her inside is the one that needs to be out. Cramped and crowded- she needs OUT”. Abe’s ears perked up, finally understanding. The fuzzy feeling in your head finally went away, and you shook your head violently.

What the hell was that?

“Okay,” Abe started “I know what she’s trying to say”. Ordelia sat back in her original spot, those eyes boring through you again. But, not in the invasive way they were before.

“Like how werewolves have a human and beast form, these types of vampires do as well. She’s a Gangrel, correct?” Red nodded. “Well, all Gangrels have human and beast forms”. Red began to put the pieces together.

“And by… “the her inside”, you’re talking about a human form?” Ordelia clapped happily, startling the skeleton next to her.

“Yes, exactly! She’s straining to maintain this body”. Ordelia looked Red in the eye, and knowing smile on her face.

“I know you all have seen the strain on her very being. And you all know that it will only get worse”. Red’s sockets widened, and he felt a deep unease in his ribcage. Abe pressed his paw to her leg, reeling her in again. He turned to you, finally.

“You have a human form”. Do you? “You’re going to need to go back to it, soon”. You growled slightly, moving further back into your house. You began squeaking your toy loudly, indicating you were done for now. Abe sighed as Red motioned for the two to come to the patio.

“What the hell are you two on about,” Red snapped, once the three were away from your house. Red took them inside, where Papyrus was making lunch. Ordelia sat at the table, dangling her shoes from her hand. Abe sat on the floor next to her, body too big to fit in a chair.

“All in all, she’s been forcing herself into beast form so long that she’s hurting herself from it”. Papyrus slowed down his cooking, obviously listening in.

“Gangrels can stay in those forms for a long time, certainly, because they can easily switch between the two. Some Gangrels even end up staying in it more permanently, as I have with my own beast form, but… from how she says she’s hurting, and if Ordelia’s prediction is right, the form she’s in now is not her body’s “primary” form”. Red sighed, rubbing his hands over his skull.

“And… how are we supposed to get her to change if she doesn’t even know she can do it?” Abe was quiet for a moment, thinking.

“Well… many ferals go into their beast forms because of their feral nature, but she clearly has more sentience than most… my guess is that she still feels stressed. Scared. If you all can reduce the stress she’s under, she might feel safe enough to transform back”. Papyrus, immediately, made it his mission to make you feel as safe as possible.

“Or, she’ll simply tire her body out so much it’ll automatically go back,” Abe added. “But, that isn’t ideal, as she’ll be very sore and fatigued”. Red grunted, trying to think of ways to help you chill out.

“How would we help her,” Papyrus asked, finally giving away that he was listening in. He stood near the counter, looking at Abe as the werewolf went quiet.

“Well… she has trust issues. Your best bet is to just… try and gain her trust- at least, enough for her to be comfortable here”. Papyrus frowned slightly. You don’t trust them at all? Abe caught sight of his look.

“Trust takes time- she may have been comfortable around you, when she wasn’t living here. When you were the ones that she looked forward to seeing, if Arle was accurate in describing how the hospital staff was”. Red sneered slightly. “But… now that you’re the ones she has to depend on…” It clicked, for Papyrus. You thought they were going to turn on you- treat you like an animal.

To be fair, they kind of did- with the house and the toys- but… that was different, wasn’t it?

“... Why’re ferals treated like that, anyway, if they’re able to go back to how they were,” Red asked. The question caught Abe off guard. His ears drooped slightly.

“... Before monsters came from Ebott, Supernaturals- Surface Monsters- had to live in secrecy. Hiding from humans. Due to our… more aggressive natures, compared to how Underground Monsters behave, we feared being attacked. How do you explain to terrified humans that a vampire needed blood to survive, if the humans thought they’d be drained dry?” Ordelia’s grip on her shoes tightened slightly, but she didn’t say anything.

“Ferals were a threat to that secrecy. Vampires and werewolves going on rampages, killing humans in secluded spots. Before Leonardo took control of the area, ferals were just killed on sight. Before Alex came along to help him… ferals as far along as your friend was wouldn’t be where she is now”. Red and Papyrus tensed up, the latter looking out the window to where you were. You were asleep in your bed, blissfully unaware of the conversation going on.

“Just how Supernaturals will be angry with their fellow monsters, they’ll despise ferals. Decades, and centuries, of hiding can take a long time to unlearn”. Red can… understand that. Doesn’t make it right- any of it- but he understands. He sighed, sitting down in one of the dining chairs.

They heard a truck pull into the driveway, signalling Abby was back. Abe got up.

“We will… try again, next Sunday. I can talk to Arle, and find a better way to approach this”. Abe may be, technically, certified, but he’s not used to this. Abe began to walk out, but Ordelia stayed behind. When prompted, she said she’d be out in a moment. Abe was unsure, but went out anyway. Ordelia, while putting her shoes on addressed Red.

“You. You know her best, correct?” He frowned slightly. “The fractures- more than just mental”. His mind flashed to your splintered SOUL. His gaze hardened, wondering what the hell she was getting at.

“The Young needs the Old, but I am not the Old One she seeks. He has… moved on, recently, but you need to find him,” she said hurriedly, as if this was an urgent message. She stood, beginning to walk towards the door.

“I cannot find him, right now. His blood- his… power- doesn’t allow it. Doesn’t allow me to track him. Doesn’t allow me to talk more than I am. But… if you find a witch, ask to see her husband”. With that, she left the house, following Abe to Abby’s truck. Red and Papyrus stared after her, stunned confusion on their faces. Red finally broke the silence, after a solid two minutes.

“Oh what the FUCK is that bitch on about?” “RED!”


	9. Boss of the House

“IF YOU DO NOT STOP FLINGING WATER ONTO ME, YOU FILTHY BEAST, I WILL SKIN YOU AND USE YOUR PELT AS A COAT”.

You were currently in a giant metal tub, soaked and covered in suds. It was Boss’s turn to give you a bath, and you were making it… difficult, to say the least. He couldn’t ask anyone for help, either, as everyone was away.

Papyrus, Red, and Blue were out shopping. Papyrus and Blue for actual house supplies, and Red for your needs. Sans and Stretch were out as well. Boss had wanted to come along with shopping, but someone needed to stay behind and watch you. Blue had offered, but Red insisted he come along instead.

When Red explained, in the car, that this was to get you and Boss used to each other, Blue was much less pouty. He still pouted, of course, but not as much.

You and Boss hadn’t had much time to spend together, as your time was spent with the other two more active skeletons, and Red. Either exercising, or just sitting together while you ate. Sans and Stretch took time to come say hi, but Boss never really took the initiative. The only times he stayed with you was when he brought you your food. He was always gone, with your dishes, immediately afterwards. He never really talked, like the others did.

You yelped as Boss began spraying you with the hose to rinse you off. Immediately, you tried shaking some of the offending water off. The skeleton growled loudly.

“Will you be STILL,” he hissed, moving around to rinse all of the soap off of you. You whined loudly, shifting in the tub. The water was fucking COLD. Boss huffed.

“Oh hush, you baby! A little cold water won’t kill you. But I will if you don’t STAY STILL”. You immediately went still, tensing slightly. A low growl escaped your throat. Boss lowered the hose slightly, before sighing.

“... I’m not going to hurt you, vampire. It was a joke”. You huffed. Boss already knew you weren’t going to accept it as a joke. Ugh- why do trauma patients have to be so hard to talk to?

He finally stopped spraying you, ordering you to get out of the tub. Before he could move to get the towel, you shook as much water off of you as possible. Boss yelled as he was soaked, before groaning.

“... I suppose I deserve that,” he grumbled, draping the large towel over you. You stood still, body still positioned low from your shaking. Boss huffed out a laugh.

“Do you want me to help you dry off?” That was something that always threw you off- they always asked if they could touch you. And they wouldn’t accept an answer unless it was verbal. It felt… nice, having someone actually listen to you, when you didn’t want to be touched.

“... Yeah,” you finally answered. Your acceptance surprised the tall skeleton- usually, the only ones allowed to touch you were Red and Creampuff. You were looking at him warily, yes, but it was usually hard no from you, whenever anyone else asked.

Although, ever since your sessions with Abe and Ordelia started, you’ve been… more accepting of them. The sessions stopped being weekly, and instead happened every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Abe and Ordelia agreed your condition was very fragile, and they wanted to see if more often, albeit smaller, sessions helped more than one long one. So far, they were. And in the two weeks it’s been going on, you’ve allowed someone else to touch you.

Boss hesitated, before moving to rub the towel over your damp fur. You let out an appreciative chitter, watching Boss out of the corner of your eye. He seemed concentrated on the task at hand, but was… definitely thinking about something.

What was that garbage Abe told you? Talk about your feelings?

“... What wrong,” you finally asked. Boss immediately corrected you- “what’s wrong”- before realizing you were actually asking him that. He paused, before going back to drying you.

“Nothing’s wrong, vermin,” he grumbled, but there was no venom behind the name. “Why- is there something wrong with you?” You looked at him, deciding to be honest for once.

“Yes”. His gaze snapped to yours, any anger he had turning into confusion and barely-hidden concern. The look made you hesitate.

“... Hate me?” He always seemed like it was a chore to be alone with you. He only stayed with you when he had to, and always found excuses to not be alone with you. Boss huffed, red tinting his cheekbones.

“Of course not! If I hated you, I wouldn’t be here giving you a bath of all things!” His gruff admission didn’t do anything to make you feel better. You gave an indifferent huff, shrugging the towel off when you decided he was done.

Boss watched you begin walking back to your sleeping area, body posture showing your disappointment. He sighed softly, standing to his full height.

“It is… almost time to start making lunch. Since it will just be the two of us, would you… like to help me?” Your ears perked, and you whipped around to look at him. Like you rarely allow anyone to touch you, Boss never lets anyone in the kitchen with him.

You won’t lie. The idea makes you feel special. So special, in fact, that your butt starts wagging. That flush comes back onto his cheeks, and he grumbles. He opens the sliding glass door, yelling for you to come inside.

You bolt inside and almost knock him down. He clutched the doorway, before following you inside.

He threw the towel into the hamper, before coming back to the kitchen. He had changed his gloves while he was putting the towel away, so he went straight for the pantry to look for something to fix.

“What do you want to eat?” You entered the pantry, looking over the canned goods and other food. You sniffed around, concentrating on the words. You were regaining your ability to read, fairly quickly. Your eyes landed on a couple of cans of vegetable soup. Something about the idea of simple soup made you feel… like something was missing.

You suddenly stood, using a lower shelf as balance, to grab a can of the soup in your mouth.

Boss jerked back, looking up at your face as you did so. When you stood on your hind legs, you were easily a head taller than him. Which was shocking, as he was almost seven feet tall.

You dropped back onto all fours, handing him the can. He took it, before grabbing the other one. He knows you’ll need a lot of food at a time, so fixing both seemed like a good idea. He headed to the kitchen, grabbing the soup pot and the can opener.

So far, “helping with lunch” is more like just sitting in the corner of the kitchen while Boss messes with the soup. Not too surprising, considering your current state of being.

“How… have you been feeling,” Boss asked, after a long stretch of awkward silence. You looked up at him from where you were laying in the corner.

“... ‘Kay” was your answer. Boss seemed like he wanted to ask something else. You sat up a little more, silently egging him on.

“The two that come over every few days- they say you’ve been feeling tired. And sore. Do you feel that way right now?” You hesitated, heart beginning to beat faster. If he knew about that, he knew you were vulnerable. Weak. You could be attacked at any moment and might be too weak to fight him off.

He saw the fur on your back begin to raise, eyes slitting, and tried to defuse the situation.

“Listen to me,” he said sternly. “I am not going to hurt you. I will not even move from this spot. I just want to know- are you hurting?” For some reason, that reminded of you of something. Boss saw your pupils thin out, eyes glazing over as you dropped into a memory.

A monster sat across from you- big and terrifying and bloody. Staring at you with care. Your own body felt like it was on fire, trembling claws digging into the rotting wood below you. You smelled something cooking in the background, hearing liquid boil. Your chest hurt. You can’t breathe. A male voice spoke to you, rough and tired.

“You know me, kid. I’d never hurt you- well… not unless it saves your life”.

You didn’t realize you were clawing at your chest until Boss was at your side, trying to pry your claws away from your skin. You wheezed, gaze finally focusing on him. Shaking paws moved from your chest, before clinging to Boss’ shoulders in an awkward hug. You didn’t even register you were actually doing it, still semi-wrapped in the memory.

Boss froze, not knowing what to do about a seven foot tall vampire suddenly holding onto him for dear life. This was… something Red should be helping you with, as much as he hated to admit it.

But, Red wasn’t here. It was just you two.

“Hey-” he pulled back enough to look at you “you’re fine- listen to me. Look at me”. Your gaze snapped to his eyelights- small, worried pinpricks in the dark sockets.

“You are safe,” he stressed, voice even and slow. “I will not let anything harm you. You need to breathe”. He coaxed you into taking a deep breath- vaguely, you wondered if he even needed to breathe- and you felt your lightheadedness ease just a bit.

“Now, sit before you fall and hurt yourself”. Guiding you down, he sat you on the ground. He knelt in front of you, and you finally let him go to place your front paws on the floor. You focused on breathing. Your chest hurt, and Boss watched as you all but dropped to the ground. Putting pressure on it without actually scratching at your already sore skin.

“Talk to me,” Boss said, trying to keep his naturally-loud voice somewhat quiet. The gruffness of his tone comforted you, somehow. Reminding something deep inside of you of better days.

“... Mem’ry,” you slurred, trying to focus. Your paws rested over your eyes. You were feeling a migraine coming on. You missed Boss’ brow bones raising.

“.... Hurting. Scared… ‘Nother v’mpr”. Boss nodded, although you couldn’t see it. He reached his hand out, hesitating slightly, before pressing it between your shoulder blades and patting you carefully.

“... I’ll… tell the others about it, when they come back. You just… rest”. He stood, getting you a bowl of water. He set it down, going to get your medication for lunch while the soup finished up.

The medication was in Red’s room, but was in a box with your nickname on it to be found easily. A note was taped to the top of the box, as well, with dosages and which medicines and vitamins you take at which times. As he got out the correct medicine, Boss couldn’t help but feel slightly proud.

His brother was always a bit soft, yes, but he’d never went this far with trying to help anyone. Never put this much effort and research into something that wasn’t for his, or Boss’, own gain. Boss could tell he was dedicated to this- even forgoing his usual sleep schedule to help you, when needed. 

Boss was impressed.

When he came back to the kitchen, he found you asleep in the corner. He let out a small laugh, accompanied by an eyeroll. Either Red had an influence on you, or you already just slept anywhere you felt like. Probably both.

Boss got to work crushing up the pills into a powder, dumping it into a small bowl they had for this specific reason. When the soup was done, he put just a bit into the bowl with the medicine and stirred until it was mostly dissolved.

He set the bowl down near you, and the smell started to wake you up. You grimaced slightly, knowing that was your medicine bowl. Boss snorted, filling up your actual bowl.

“Hurry up and eat it, then you can have your actual food”. You gave him a tired grumbled, before eating the meager amount of food in a few laps of your tongue. You hissed in disgust, when you were finally done, and nearly dunked your entire face into the water. Boss huffed at the mess you were making, before swapping out the small bowl with your bigger one. You eagerly dug into that one, watching him wash your medicine bowl out of corner of your eye.

Boss finally made his own bowl, putting the lid over the pot so no invading insects got in it- or stray fur, he thought as he eyed you warily- and sat down at the kitchen table.

The two of you ate in silence, aside from your animalistic slurping noises. You, occasionally, would glance at each other. Boss would look away whenever you’d catch him watching you.

When you finished your food, you decided to be nice, for once. Carefully, you piled the plastic bowls into one another, and lifted them up with your mouth. You stood up quickly, dropping the bowls into the sink, before plopping back onto the ground.

“... Thank you,” Boss said. You let out a pleased huff, before starting to head back outside. You hesitated, though.

“... Can… sleep here?” Boss looked surprised. You never wanted to be confined in the house. You didn’t even follow Red, or Papyrus, inside for anything.

Boss’ ego grew, that day.

“ “Can I sleep in here”,” he corrected. “But… yes. You don’t need to ask. As crowded as it is, this is your house, as well”. He realized how sincere he sounded and began to put up his prickly persona again.

“Just- Ugh, don’t shed all over everything!” You grinned slightly, lopsided on your snout, before daring outside. You grabbed your blanket- the one Red gave you, of course- and your squeaky bat. It was awkward, carrying them both in, but you managed it.

Boss was cleaning the lunch dishes, and you took the chance to hop onto the couch. It groaned under your weight as you set your items down. After getting situated under your blanket, you dropped your head next to your toy. You held it against your face with your arm, purring deeply. You drifted off into a deep sleep. Boss grumbled slightly about having to be quiet while cleaning, but he made sure be careful around you.

When all of the skeletons came home, having met up in the driveway, they were all surprised to find you and Boss in the living room. All the furniture had been pushed aside, as it usually does when Boss, Blue, and Papyrus do their aerobics.

Boss had, somehow, gotten you extra sweatbands- one on your head, and four for your arms and legs. You were following the exercise video to the best of your ability, while Boss taunted you when you fumbled or lost the rhythm. Good natured taunting, to get you more motivated to do better.

You looked at the group, mouth open as you panted. You looked like a bulldog, honestly, with the way your tongue hung out of your short snout. You were grinning, though.

“Let us put up the groceries,” Blue exclaimed excitedly, “then we’ll join you!” He and Papyrus ran to the kitchen. The three lazier skeletons were laughing a bit, Red holding a wider grin than usual on his face.

“Having fun there, you two,” your primary guardian asked. You jumped up and down, before padding over to him. You gripped the end of his jacket in your teeth, trying to tug him towards you and Boss. Sans and Stretch began cackling, as Red started sweating.

“I don’t do aerobics, Missy”. You looked him in the eye, dropping his jacket. Your attitude shifted, and the skeletons worried you were upset. You opened your mouth.

“You do now”. Boss laughed loudly, watching Red’s eyelights disappear for a hot second. He sighed deeply, relenting and setting his bag on the table. He pulled off his jacket, glaring at his lazy brethren. You looked to Sans and Stretch.

“You, too”. Red laughed as the two stopped their giggle-fit. They tried to make excuses, but you gave them your best Puss-In-Boots look. Sans’ cheeks grew a little blue, and Stretch ran a hand down his face.

Reluctantly, their jackets came off too, and Boss started the dvd over. He started to lead the reluctant skeletons through their stretches. You grinned smugly, moving into place next to Red and stretching with them. He gave you a look out of the corner of his eye socket.

“I’m gettin’ you back for this, little Missy”. You knew he would. But, for now, you wanted to have fun.

And watching these three already getting fed up with Boss’ instructions? Hilarious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small semi-filler chapter with just a BIT of plot mixed in. There'll be more chapters like this, with individual skeletons, but we gotta get a LITTLE bit more plot outta the way, first, before we can get into some actual filler content.


	10. The You Inside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, you can follow me on itsthesinbin.tumblr.com! My ask is closed, at the moment, though!

Since the day you spent with Boss, you were more comfortable coming in and out of the house. Blue and Papyrus were definitely excited about that, and always tried to include you in their activities. To be fair, everyone did, but those two were more insistent about it.

Group aerobics became a routine, as well, even if it was just you, the Papyruses and Blue. The Sanses and Stretch would watch, but sometimes you’d get them to join in.

Today, your routine was interrupted as the hyperactive skeletons were called away by Papyrus’ friend Undyne, for some reason. Some kind of training. You didn’t pay attention, and didn’t want to come along. You didn’t know who Undyne was, and you didn’t want any part of any kind of training.

Papyrus gave the lazy skeletons strict instructions on your meal times, as if Red, himself, didn’t come up with the schedule and portion sizes for you. Red didn’t seem to mind, though, as Sans assured his brother that you’d be in good hands.

You stood at the window, watching Papyrus’ convertible drive off. Your ears dropped slightly, a small whine leaving you. Stretch let out a small laugh.

“They’ll be back later, honey,” he said, watching you plop yourself onto the floor below the window. He pulled out a small bag, making your head pop to attention.

He tossed you one of his hard candy treats. You caught it in your mouth, purring in delight. Sans and Red joined you two in the living room, occupying the rest of the couch.

“So… what do we do today, kid,” Sans asked, looking at you. You were surprised he asked. Usually, when you’re with the other half of the house, they always have plans for what they wanted to do. Being able to pick the activity is a new thing, for you.

Well… your sore body was screaming at you to do one thing.

You hopped up in a recliner, flopping your head on the arm rest.

“Sleep”. Sans grinned, and Stretch snorted.

“Sounds good to us. Red?” Red rolled his eyelights.

“The others run ya ragged, so I think you can skip your workout today,” Red relented, turning on Netflix. You heard the Netflix startup noise, and immediately thought of a dumb thing Blue told you about.

“Netflix and chill?” Sans spit out his drink, and Red started cackling. Stretch was snickering, as well, and he shook his head.

“AbsoLUTELY not,” Sans yelled, but you could see the humor on his face. You let out a “damn”, pretending to snap the fingers you don’t have. That made Sans laugh, much to your delight.

Red started up some cheesy horror movie, and kinda just left it running in the background while the skeletons did their own thing. Sans began cleaning up a bit, knowing Papyrus would get onto him for not doing it. Stretch grabbed the sudoku book off of the table, leaning against the back of the couch and propping his feet up. He mumbled that Blue would yell if he knew his feet were on the coffee table, then laughed to himself about it.

You hopped off of the recliner, going over to Red. Tugging on his jacket got him to snort.

“Come on, Missy- you know you gotta use your words”. Since you’ve been getting better with talking, the skeletons insist you keep it up. Sometimes you didn’t want to, you know? Sometimes you just wanna let out an anguished scream to display your depression properly.

But, you can’t always get what you want.

“I hungry”. “I’m hungry,” Stretch corrected as Red stood. You huffed at the hoodie-clad skeleton, following Red to the kitchen.

“Not quite time for a full lunch, but there’s some leftover Grillby’s you can have”. Red pulled out the bag, moving to heat it up. The single burger and meager amount of fries wouldn’t be enough to fill you up, so he was fine giving it to you. Sans looked up.

“Is that my bag?” Sans’ name was definitely written on it. You gave the leader of the house a grin.

“Not anymore”. Red snickered as Sans rolled his eye lights. He waved you off, going back to the living room. Red set the plate down for you, and you happily dug in. A faint rumble made you look up, however.

The clouds outside were darkening, and it seemed like it was beginning to sprinkle. Red grunted slightly.

“Great. Looks like you might be spending a while in here, unless you wanna make a mad dash through the yard a few times”. You shook your head, going back to eating. Thanks to the awning, and how well-made your house was, you wouldn’t have to worry about anything getting soaked. Guess you’re having a day with the boys.

You finished the food quickly, and Red shoved the plate into the sink. As he began to go up the stairs, you followed him closely. He snorted slightly, putting a hand out as if to touch you. When you nodded, he put his hand on your head and lightly pushed you back.

“I gotta do some work on the computer, and don’t need you goin’ through my things while I ain’t lookin’. Stay down here with Stretch and Vanilla”. You huffed slightly, but let him go upstairs.

Seeing as Sans took your chair- which, technically, is his chair- you opted for the couch. Stretch moved over to the end of it, leaning against the arm of the couch. You hopped up on the rest of the furniture, dropping your head into his lap. He smiled, but there was a hint of surprise in his gaze.

“This alright,” he asked, holding his hand over your back. You gave him the okay, and he started running his phalanges through your fur, the dull tips scratching against your skin pleasantly. You purred, small tail trying to wag without moving your entire backside. Stretch set his puzzle book on the arm of the couch, smiling slightly as he went back to it.

“Seems like you’re getting comfortable around here,” Sans finally said, making you glance at him. You huffed slightly, a tiny smile on your snout. You began tapping your foot against the couch when Stretch found a particularly itchy spot. He rubbed at it quickly, making your leg kick faster and a happy whine escape your mouth. Sans snorted, the sight confirming his statement, before pulling out a book.

Then, the lights went out. 

Everyone froze, and you heard Red yell out a few profanities as the wifi disconnected. You lifted your head from Stretch’s lap, eyes adjusting to the dim light. Thanks to it being pretty early in the day, there was still a good bit of light, despite the heavy clouds that were forming in the sky. The rain began to pick up, as well, and the distant rumbling was growing closer. Your ears twitched, and you looked at the staircase as Red stomped down.

Stretch got you to move, as all the skeletons made their way to the basement. Red grumbled, tone angry as he told you to stay up here. The three hurried down, shutting the basement door behind them. Your ears drooped, and you wondered what the hell they were doing down there.

You chose not to follow your curious nature, for once. Red was angry. You knew it wasn’t directed at you, but the idea of him yelling because you disobeyed him…

Your chest hurt.

A loud crash of thunder jolted you out of your thoughts. You stood up, tense and trying not to freak out. Your heart hammered in your chest, and something deep within you was hurting. The thunder sounded loudly, making you jump again. You bolted under the coffee table, knocking off the drinks that were sitting on it.

You held your paws over your ears, wheezing slightly as it felt like your insides were being torn apart. Your muscles were tightly wound. Your very skin felt like it would tear open. A scene flashed in your mind. Thunder and rain. A cage. Humans yelling as you tried to fight.

You lunged at one, but didn’t see your paws. When you struck at the man below you, you had hands. Human hands. A voice screamed at them as you were grabbed, telling them that you’d be freed.

Your voice.

You didn’t realize you were screaming for Red until the basement door was flung open. When you spotted his legs, you darted out from under the table. You all but threw yourself onto him, and he barely managed to stay upright. His eye lights flickered from your face, to your chest, and his sockets widened. He sat on the ground, not even bothering to move you to a proper piece of furniture. Putting your face in his hands, he started talking.

“You gotta calm down, Missy, come on-” Your claws dug into the carpet, snagging on the fabric below you. You were running on instinct, once again. Forehead pressing against Red’s, you whined. He tensed up at the contact, but shook off the shock. He didn’t need to be hung up on anything, at the moment.

“Dammit- You’re putting too much strain on yourself,” Red told you, forcing you to move back to look at him. Your pupils were thin slits, and you were slipping back into an instinctual state. Red patted your cheeks.

“Come on, Missy, focus. Look at me”. The power finally came back on. “You gotta change. You can’t stay like this anymore”. Change? Change what?

Stretch and Sans finally rushed up the stairs, seeing you two on the floor. They hung back, not wanting to make you feel crowded.

“Think, sweetheart- think way back. You had a human form, right,” Red asked, thumbs rubbing your cheeks- giving you something to focus on. You thought back to the memory. Your hands. Your voice. You focused, finally forming an image from when you looked in a mirror.

You remembered your image.

“Ordelia- she said you kept this form up because you need to. You feel you’re in danger. You’re not, anymore. Not with me,” Red said sternly. “I got you- we have you”. Sans headed up the stairs. You barely caught him saying he was going to get your anxiety medication.

You focused on your own thoughts, for once. While you still didn’t fully trust them, they’ve shown they weren’t going to hurt you. They would’ve done that in the woods, way back when. They would’ve done it after they’ve gotten a hold of you- where no one could find a body out here. Monsters wouldn’t turn you in, either. Not without risk of getting caught. You let out a weak whine, legs giving out from stress. Red’s grip on your cheeks tensed.

“Tired,” you breathed. Your body was tired. Your very soul felt weak.

You felt something shift.

You cried out weakly, body jerking and twitching. Red let your face go, moving to run his distal’s through the fur on your head. It hurt. God, it fucking hurt. It felt like your skin and bones and very organs were moving and changing.

Vaguely, you heard Stretch mutter something along the lines of “holy shit”. You clenched your eyes shut, feeling your body shrink slightly.

When everything finally stopped moving, you opened them. Your muzzle didn’t greet the middle of your vision, as it usually does. Your body felt heavy, but not in the way it normally did. You were also very cold, and very, very furless.

You forced yourself to sit up, body trembling and heavy as lead. Reaching up, you saw shaking, human hands. Long, messy hair draped across your vision. You looked down, seeing a fairly hairy human body.

The pain in your chest lessened as you reached up, pressing your hands to your face. You looked up, seeing Red and Stretch staring at you with shocked, partly embarrassed expressions. You swallowed thickly, mouth opening. Your canines were long, like usual, and your bottom jaw jutted forward slightly due to the size of your fangs.

“Red”. Your voice wasn’t as gruff as it was in your bat form, vocal chords fully meant to use human speech. His eyelights snapped to your gaze, and with the ability to fully emote, now… he could see you were terrified.

“Mirror,” was all you could get out. You repeated the word again, mostly to yourself, as you struggled to stand. Red hurriedly stood, catching your hands. Sans finally came back downstairs, only to drop the pill bottle when he saw the scene in front of him.

Red held you to him, trying to will the bright red magic on his face to go away. Stretch quickly took off his hoodie, finally shaking off the surprise, and offered it to you. With Red’s help, you put it on. It barely covered you, now that you were only a few inches shorter than Stretch, but it was enough.

You pulled away from Red, bracing yourself against the wall. You forced your tired body to move to the mirror that hung in the living room. You froze when you stopped in front of it.

You had fat on you, thanks to the skeletons’ strict feeding schedule, but almost no muscle anymore. Your hair was thick and matted and way too long. Your eyes were sunken in. You caught sight of scar tissue peeking over the neckline of the hoodie, and pulled it down. Long, old scars littered the upper part of your neck. In your haze, you must not have noticed the worn lines. You swallowed, forgoing your shame to pull the hoodie up to see your chest and stomach.

Dozens of old scars littered your skin, ranging from thin lines to burns to bite marks, of all things. You dropped the hoodie again, pulling the sleeves up. Needle marks, as well as other scars, were on those, as well. You looked up, staring into your own reflection.

Fat, hot tears fell down your face. How long has it been since you were able to fully cry? God, you don’t know.

You dropped to your knees, ignoring the boys’ shouts to you. The minute you had boney arms around you, your resolve broke. You shoved your hands into your hair, gripping tightly as you sobbed.

Red reached up, removing your hands from your scalp before you pulled too hard. You gripped his sleeves instead, before he pulled you to him. You clung to the back of his jacket, following his instructions when he started telling you how to breathe.

Red asked Stretch to get some actual clothes to fully cover you, and he went upstairs to his room. Stretch said you could have a pair of boxer shorts, and they could take you shopping at a later date.

By the time Stretch came back down with an appropriate pair of boxers, Red had coaxed you off of the floor. You wouldn’t be able to balance, so Red held you up while you slipped them on.

You all moved to the furniture. Stretch dropped into the recliner, while you, Red, and Sans sat on the couch. You refused to let go of Red’s jacket, but he didn’t look like he minded. Red pulled out his phone.

“I gotta call Creampuff,” he mumbled tiredly. Reluctantly, you let go of him as he stood. Sans got your attention, holding out his hand for you. You bypassed the hand, going right to wrapping your arms around his ribcage. You hiccupped, holding onto him tightly. You missed the flush of blue, but he didn’t bother making you move. You felt him rub your back, and your quiet crying trailed off into shuddering breathing.

By the time Red came back down, after Papyrus said they’d be on their way home soon, you all had fallen asleep. You were still holding onto Sans, and his head was lolled back against the couch. Stretch had fallen asleep with his hands behind his skill, reclining in the chair. Red sighed slightly, pocketing his phone, and joining you on the couch. He plopped himself down, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Just five minutes…

Next thing he knew, he was being woken up by the excitable skeletons nearly busting the door down. From how everyone else yelling, Red assumed you all were woken up as well.

No one expected you to make a beeline for the underside of the kitchen table on all fours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3c


	11. You Make The Hurt Okay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonding chapter with Blue! I'll get around to doing a bonding chapter with all the skeletons, of course. They'll just be peppered in with plot [and probably some other type of filler] chapters.

You spent the next few days in a haze. You barely responded to anyone, and the skeletons had to coax you to eat. When Ordelia and Abe came by for your next session, they were surprised to see you in human form. Ordelia seemed haunted, but took up the offer to measure your body and buy clothes for you. When Abe asked what was wrong with his companion, she shook her head.

“I… am not sure if I am correct, in my assumptions,” was all she said. “I would rather wait to talk about it”. Red wanted to pressure her, but she wouldn’t answer any questions. She would grow frustrated, talking as if something was holding her back from speaking. He finally gave up, after a while.

The skeletons had tried to bring you into the house, saying you’d be cold outside without your fur. You refused, preferring to curl up in your giant dog bed and sleep outside. You refused to give up Stretch’s hoodie, as well- which he was fine with. The alternate Papyrus had plenty.

One day, you woke up to Blue knocking on the opening to your small house. You blinked the sleep out of your eyes, giving him a blank stare. He fidgeted nervously. All of the boys had gotten a bit awkward around you, now that you were humanoid. All except Red, who was just relieved, for some odd reason.

“It’s, uh… just us today,” Blue said, trying to appear enthusiastic. “Red and Papyrus went with Ordelia to help get clothes for you. Sans had to go babysit, Boss is out picking something up, and my brother said he’d pick up your medicine, since Red can’t”. You grunted slightly, laying your head back on the pillow Papyrus insisted you have. Curling up under your blanket, you missed Blue’s shoulders droop.

“... Red told me we should… try and deal with your hair”. Abe said the matting would be painful- which is was- but you refused to let anyone touch your hair. You were tired of people shaving you down and doing things to your body that you couldn’t stop. 

You actually bit Red, when he first tried to do so.

You had no intention of actually hurting him- just a warning nip that your blunter teeth couldn’t portray properly. Boss had started to yell, but Red was quick to shut him down. Even after you bit him, he was still on your side. Saying you weren’t in a good place, and he should’ve respected that.

God, you were just a piece of shit.

“... I do it,” you finally said, sitting up. You don’t quite know how to the transformation works, but it’s as if your human body was just… unaffected by what happened when you were a bat, for the most part. You’re sure if you lost a limb, you’d transform back with that limb missing, but… shaving the fur was different, apparently.

“What?” “I do it,” you said again, getting out of your bed. You, still, only wore Stretch’s hoodie and boxers. You stomped into the house, the feeling of being useless and powerless dampening your spirits. Blue followed you in, worry etched onto his round little face.

“I, um… I don’t think that’s the best idea-”. You glared at him, making him flinch. You spotted the scissors that he had planned to use, laying on the table next to other hair care supplies. You guessed he was just supposed to try and trim the mats out, while Red dealt with your actual hair. Don’t know why they had this shit- skeletons don’t exactly need hair scissors and combs.

Angrily, you grabbed the scissors and went to the mirror.

“Miss Lady, I don’t think that’s a good idea-” Blue had found the nickname “Miss Lady” for you, to go with Red’s “Missy” and Stretch’s “Honey”. You grunted, gathering your hair up as if you were going to put it in a ponytail.

“Don’t care”.

You didn’t know much about cutting hair, but sawing through it with the scissors was a good idea, right?

Blue tried to stop you, but didn’t want to grab you and accidentally make you stab yourself. You hacked through your hair angrily, seeing your pupils slit in the mirror. You bared your teeth, underbite and canines in your view. You looked at your jaw, seeing prominent hair around your face. You smiled bitterly, finally tearing through the last bit of your hair. Shaggy, tangled hair fell just above your shoulders. Thankfully, the matting was located lower in your hair. No more fucking shaving for you, unless it was on your body.

Fuck, you were hideous.

You gripped the giant measure of hair in your fist, staring at it as if you just realized what you’d done. You set the scissors down, passing a fretting Blue to throw the hair into the trash. The hair was too damaged to donate it, so there was no point in thinking about that.

When the hair made it to the can, you began to feel nauseous. You stared at the expanse of hair in shock. Did… you really just do that?

You reached up, grabbing at the dirty strands still on your head. You felt numb. You wanted to cry, but you just breathed normally.

Blue put a hand on your shoulder, but you didn’t respond. Gently grabbing your arm, he led you to the bathroom.

“Maybe… maybe a bath will help,” he suggested. “Get you clean, and get those tangles out, huh?” You nodded, but weren’t really listening to him. He sat you on the toilet, before hurrying out to grab bath supplies.

Blue hesitated as he opened the linen closet, cheekbones flushing a deep blue. He had given you a bath plenty of times! Why did it feel… wrong, this time?

He would offer to let you bathe yourself, but between the glaze in your eyes and your hatred of the bathing itself, he doubted you would do it. He just… felt very bad, about this, though. It was one thing when you couldn’t really bathe yourself- body not able to reach certain spots and not made for washing. But, now that you were human...it felt like he was treating you like a child.

Or a pet, he thought bitterly. His mood soured a bit, thinking back to the hospital staff.

That’s how they had treated you- like an annoying pet that was just taking up space. Blue didn’t want to make you feel like that. Abe told them that they needed to make you feel like… a person. It made Blue sick to think that you just… didn’t consider yourself a living, sentient creature.

To yourself, and a lot of people around you, you were just an animal.

He came back into the bathroom, finding you still sitting on the toilet in a daze. He paused, clutching the bath items.

“Miss Lady… maybe, uh… you’d feel better if you bathed yourself?” You looked at him, almost surprised. A feral in charge of their own hygiene was unheard of, as many just gave themselves a tongue bath and was done. You watched him set the bathing items aside, fidgeting nervously under your gaze.

“After, uhm… what happened down stairs, I just thought… you might not want… me touching you?” You hesitated, looking at the tub.

“... N… need help”. He perked up a bit, scurrying to the tub to turn on the water and fill up the bath. He had you poke your hand under the faucet, making sure it wasn’t too hot or too cold.

When the bath was ready, you moved to take your clothes off. You fumbled a little bit with taking off the boxers, but you DIDN’T fall on your face, so that was a plus.

Blue helped you into the tub, once the bath was filled. He grabbed a hair brush, intending to start with your hair so he can wash it easier.

“Is this okay?” “Mhm”. Your heart wasn’t in the answer, but Blue knew you meant it. Carefully, he started brushing your hair. Thankfully, he was used to brushing your fur out, so this wasn’t… too different. You began washing yourself with the washcloth, allowing Blue to brush and wash your hair.

“... Missy, uh… I can’t… begin to imagine what you’re going through,” he started, movements slowing as he thought out his next sentence. You glanced over at him. His face was still flushed, but he was concentrating more on his thoughts than you.

“I know there isn’t… much I can say to make anything better. I just want you to know that I’m- uh we’re- always here to help you. If you need to talk, you can”. He poured water over your head, washing the soap out of your hair. You flinched slightly, but kept your head down for him.

He paused, when your shoulders began to shake.

“Missy…?” You hiccupped, burying your face into your wet hands. Blue began to panic slightly, not knowing what to do.

“I hate this,” you cried. “Body hurt… head hurt…” You scrubbed at your face angrily, letting out an angry sob as you accidentally got soap into your eyes. Blue gabbed the towel, wiping your irritated eyes with a corner of the cloth.

“Rather be feral,” you hissed, tearing the cloth away from your face. “‘Member nothing… die easy”. Blue felt tears prick his eye sockets, dripping down his cheekbones.

“Missy… you’ll get through this,” he said. “I know you’re hurting. You just changed back, so you’re bound to be a little, uh… messed up, for a while. That’s what we’re here for!” He perked up a bit, grabbing your hand and making you look at him.

“We’re here to make sure you get better! Even if you don’t get your memories back, we’ll make sure your body gets into tip top shape! And uh… I know this won’t fix everything, but it might help you feel a bit better if... you take your antidepressants”. You paused. Due to the whole incident, you haven’t had your medicine in a few days.

Honestly, you couldn’t help but laugh a bit.

“Fucking meds,” you laughed, running a hand through your wet hair. Blue smiled slightly, helping you stand, and get out of the tub.

Immediately, you dropped to all fours and shook off as much water as possible. Blue couldn’t help but laugh, throwing the towel over you. As usual, you froze when the towel hit your back.

“Some things don’t change between forms, though, huh,” he snickered as you stood up. You dried yourself off, allowing Blue to help you step into the boxers and put the new hoodie on.

Blue took you downstairs, getting you comfortable on the couch while he put the towel and dirty clothes in the hamper. Blue got to work, scurrying up to Red’s room to get your medication, and make lunch for you.

You shuffled into the kitchen, blanket wrapped around your shoulders, and you watched him cook. He was making simple sandwiches- making a couple for you- so your stomach was thankful for that. He handed you your medicine bowl, some yogurt in it to mask the crushed medication.

You ate the yogurt, realizing how hungry you actually were. You set the bowl in the sink, when you were finished.

You hesitated, before turning to the short skeleton. Even at your new height of six feet, he was still tiny compared to you. 

You walked over to him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders. He tensed up, face turning a soft blue.

“Uh… Miss Lady…?” “Thanks,” you murmured, purring deeply.

“Am… angry. Sad. But…” you paused, trying to gather the words you could say. “... You make the hurt okay”. You finally let him go, letting him turn to you.

Eagerly, he flung his arms around your waist, a big grin on his face and stars in his sockets.

“I’m glad I could help! I’m always gonna be here for you, Missy! You’ll never have to worry about anything, when the Magnificent Sans is around,” he said, pulling back to put his hands on his hip bones. He let out a “mweh heh heh”, before realizing he still had food to make.

“Now you go make yourself comfortable! Let me finish making lunch, then we can do our aerobics- if you want!” He was quick to assure you that you didn’t have to. You felt a smile settle on your face after days of frowning and crying. You sat down, feeling better than you have since the change, while Blue finished making the sandwiches.

You ate with familiar enthusiasm, putting Blue’s mind at ease. He grinned, a slightly devious look that you missed.

He’ll never admit he felt his ego get a huge boost, knowing he was the one to get you to open up, first.


	12. I'm Lovin' It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a little while lmao. Sorry about that- one of my Depression Blocks hit, u kno? It's technically thursday, but I finally figured out how I wanted to do this chapter and got it finished! Also, if you were followin my tumblr a while back, I mentioned a couple more skeletons are gonna make an appearance. They might show up in a chapter or two. >:3c Anyway, hope you enjoy!

One step at a time.

You didn’t wear your new clothes for a while, if only because you weren’t used to them. Finally, the boys convinced you to wear something other than Stretch’s hoodie. Ordelia had to help you with the bra, but you still don’t wear it. If you have to, you wear one of the pull-over sports bras.

Papyrus and Blue were good teachers, when it came to your speech. They were patient, and had more childish books to help you get back into reading and writing. Boss tried to help, as well, but he tended to be a bit condescending. He didn’t mean to be, but Papyrus and Blue could see when you started getting annoyed.

Red was helping you keep your balance, and get back into walking on two legs. You tended to get on all fours, still. As cute as he thought it was, you needed to walk like a human. It consisted of a lot of hand holding, and Stretch making fun of Red for said hand holding.

Speaking of Red, it was just the two of you, today. Well, sort of. Sans and Stretch were down in the basement, but said they wouldn’t be coming out for a while unless it was important. Papyrus was with his friend Undyne, and Boss and Blue went to do the shopping.

You two were napping- Red sprawled on the couch, and you curled up in the recliner- when an alarm went off on his phone. You jerked awake, immediately on edge, while he snorted.

“I didn’t do it,” he slurred, rubbing his face to wake up. You snickered slightly, getting a dazed glare from him. He grumbled, pulling his phone out.

“... Shit, it’s time for your medicine-”. He got up off of the couch, stretching and heading upstairs. You got up, following him to his room. You didn’t like sitting in a room, by yourself, for too long.

He dug through the box, picking up a couple of bottles, before groaning loudly. He ran a hand over his skull. You grunted curiously, putting your hands on his shoulders.

“I forgot to get your antidepressants refilled, and a couple of your vitamins”. He hesitated. He can’t pull Sans or Stretch away- their work is important. He didn’t know when the others would be getting back.

… Well, he’s been meaning to try and get you back into the city.

“... Alright, here’s the deal”. He turned towards you, looking you in the eye. Your brows rose curiously.

“We gotta get your meds refilled,” he started, beginning to shuffle around the room. “And I think you’re well enough to go out in public, for a bit. No harness, if you promise to stick close to me”. Your chest itched at the thought of the harness.

“Hold my hand if you need to, but I want you next to me the whole time we’re out. If you’re REALLY good, we’ll stop by an ice cream place and you can have a really unhealthy lunch for once”. You perked up, bouncing slightly on your feet. He grinned slightly.

“We got a deal, Missy,” he asked, pocketing his wallet before holding a hand out. You grabbed it eagerly, letting out an excited “deal”. He laughed, taking you back downstairs. Pulling out his phone, he sent a text to Sans telling him where you two were headed. He doesn’t know if they’ll see it anytime soon, but at least it’s there.

He went into the garage, seeing the cars gone. The only thing left was Blue’s motorcycle, and Sans’ moped. Red grunted, holding your hand tighter.

“I got, uh… a shortcut to the city, but you gotta trust me. Do ya?” You gave him a curious look.

“Teleporting,” he said simply. “Wanna make sure you won’t freak out on me if I do it”. Your eyes lit up, making him smirk. He’ll take that as an okay, then.

His hand left yours, to move around your waist instead. You tensed slightly, looking down at him. He started to move away again, but you stopped him by wrapping an arm around his shoulders. His cheekbones turned a soft red, and he stuck his other hand in his coat pocket.

“Off we go”. The world around you turned black. You felt weightless, like you were falling. The only heavy thing was your chest. It didn’t hurt, per say, but… it didn’t feel too pleasant.

When color came back into your view, you were standing in an alleyway. You wheezed, clutching your chest as you caught your breath. Red’s grin fell.

“Shit- are you okay? What’s it feel like?” You didn’t know why, but they always asked you what it felt like, when your chest began to hurt. You guessed they were just worried, but still. It was weird.

“.... Heavy,” you said. “Not hurting… just… pressure”. He seemed to relax a bit, but was still worried.

“Maybe, eh… we’ll just call Lyft for the ride back,” he mumbled, starting to take you out of the alley. You didn’t let go of his hand, the hold on it tightening as you realize that people were out and about.

Right… you forgot that going outside meant actual people. You hesitated, making Red look back at you.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I got ya,” he murmured, gently pulling you forward. You followed his lead, staying as close as you could without stepping on the backs of his shoes. For once, you wished you weren’t so tall. You towered over a lot of humans, and you felt you were drawing attention to yourself. At least you were clean, you guess.

As you wished you could start curling in yourself and disappear, Red took you to a small building. A familiar yellow Emthrall stood behind the counter, making you take a small step back. Red patted your hand, before completely letting you go and walking towards the counter. Reluctantly, you followed.

Red pulled out the prescriptions and empty bottles, allowing Sylvi to see which medications and vitamins needed to be refilled.

“Aren’t you a few days late on the refill, Red,” Sylvi joked, moving to go to the room behind the counter. Red grunted slightly.

“We’ve been a little busy”. “I know- Abe’s told me! I’m so happy for you,” Sylvi replied, the end of the statement directed at you. You grumbled slightly, cheeks flushing. She disappeared into the room, leaving you and Red alone. You looked down at him, leaning down to whisper to him.

“Thought you didn’t like her,” you mumbled. He huffed.

“I don’t, but she’s the main med supplier for the rehab program,” he explained, looking at his phone when he got a text alert. A reply from Sans, telling them to be careful. He didn’t bother to answer, simply pocketing his phone again.

Sylvi came back with a small paper bag, ringing up the price of the refills. Red pulled out his wallet, giving her a credit card.

“So, everything’s been going well, since the change,” Sylvi asked, looking at you as Red paid for the medicine. You hesitated, fidgeting nervously with your shirt. Slowly, you nodded. Sylvi seemed fine with the non-verbal answer, smiling slightly as she and Red finished the transaction.

“Are you two going anywhere, after this?” Red shrugged, grabbing the items off of the counter and putting them in his seemingly-massive pockets.

“Probably just gonna walk around for a bit, then head to a place for lunch”. When his hands were free, you immediately grabbed his hand again. His cheeks flushed. Sylvi noticed the color dressing his cheekbones, and gave a small frown.

“Well… have a good day, you two,” she said, but the humor from her voice was gone. Red’s smile dropped, and he pulled you out quickly. You looked at him curiously, when you two were outside. He shook his head, sighing slightly.

“Don’t… don’t worry about it, Missy. Let’s just get the show on the road”.

Red began walking down the sidewalk, forcing you to follow him. You began to look around the city, seeing people- and monsters- walking about as well. It was weird. Something was gnawing at you- telling you that it wasn’t always like this. That the monsters and supernaturals should be hidden.

You gripped Red’s hand tighter, ignoring the thought. Not something to think about, right now. You’ll ask Red about it, later.

“So, we still going out to lunch,” your guardian asked, a grin on his face. Immediately perking up, you nodded with a bounce in your step. He snickered, taking you to the nearest fast food place. The Papyruses, and Blue, would kill him if they knew where you guys were going.

Eh, what they don’t know won’t hurt ‘em, Red thought as they entered a McDonald’s. Not as good as Grillby’s, but that was too long of a walk.

Red had you save a table for you two, while he went to wait in line. You fiddled with the hem of your shirt, looking down at the table.

“Man, that’s an ugly bitch,” someone nearby muttered. You glanced around, catching two women sneering at each other.

“At least it’s not wolfed out,” the other one snorted. “It’d get hair in the food”. “You mean it doesn’t have enough NOW to do that?” The two laughed, and you sunk deeper into your seat. They thought you were a werewolf?

“It’s a necrophiliac, too- did you see the Underground it walked in with?” “A dog with some bones! God, this shit writes itself”. Your face flushed, and felt angry tears prick your eyes. 

When Red finally arrived at the table, he set your bag of food in front of you. He gave you a curious look as he sat.

“Something wrong, Missy?” Silently, you shook your head. Red hesitated, but pulled out the medicine you still needed to take. Once the medication, and vitamins, were down, you were free to eat your lunch.

“... Alright, something’s eatin’ at ya,” Red joked, trying to get you to talk to him. You gave a half-hearted laugh, before looking down at the fries in your hand. You glanced over at the two women, seeing that they had pretty much moved onto a new topic. You were thankful for that, at least. Red followed your gaze, frowning slightly.

“They do something while I was gone?” You paused. You didn’t know if you wanted to get Red involved. As much as it stung, it was just a one-off thing. They weren’t even paying attention to you two, anymore.

“... Said some stuff,” you finally muttered, idly chewing on a fry. Red nodded, silently prompting you to continue. You huffed.

“... Thought I was a wolf. Called me a dog… And a n…” you stopped, trying to remember how to pronounce the word. “Necophilic”. It wasn’t right, you know, but Red could easily tell what you were trying to say. You knew he could, from the way his eyelights shrunk and his smile tightened.

“They did, huh?” You reached over, grabbing his coat sleeve. He looked up at you, tight smile easing off into an angry frown.

“Don’t,” you pleaded. “Don’t wanna… get in trouble”. He sighed slightly, leaning back against his chair. He mumbled out a fine, tearing a bite out of his burger.

“... Not mad, right?” He paused, before sighing again. He gave you a smile, easing your nerves a bit.

“Not at you, sweetheart, no. Mad at those bitches, yeah, but I ain’t got a reason to be mad at you”. He reached over, patting your forearm, before going back to his food.

“So, aside from that, you havin’ a good time out?” You nodded, mouth too full to actually talk. Blue, Boss, and Papyrus always get onto you for bad table manners. They weren’t actually mad, but you didn’t want to risk actually getting in trouble.

You were halfway through your lunch when an odd noise caught your attention.

Popping noises were coming from outside, followed by laughter and some shouting. Red glanced out the nearest window, seeing a few teenagers popping small firecrackers on the sidewalk. An employee was going outside to tell them to knock it off, which just caused more shouting and threats of police.

“Who the hell does that in the middle of the day,” Red grumbled, taking another bite of his burger. When he didn’t see you move out of his peripheral, he hesitated. Looking at you directly, he saw you staring at your food with an unfocused, dazed expression.

Another firecracker went off, more shouting ensued. You flinched, arms flying to shield the back of your neck instinctively. You dropped forward, hitting the table hard enough to hurt. A few people gave you odd looks, but Red was too concerned about you.

“Missy?” He reached over to, carefully, tap your arm. You immediately raised your head to hiss at him, pupils slitted angrily. Your face had begun to morph- still human, but quickly becoming more animalistic. Red brought his hands back, sockets widening.

“Sweetheart, you gotta listen to me. You’re alright. They’re just firecrackers”. Another one went off, causing a deep, panicked growl to escape you.

Out. Too close too hot too loud. You needed out- needed to run.

Someone yelled loudly outside, and you stood so fast that your chair fell over. Vaguely, you heard Red calling after you as you ran, but you had to go. You had to get out.

You busted through the door, nearly knocking over the poor employee. You were trembling- too terrified to stay here with the loud noises and the people.

Your gaze drifted towards the mountain. 

The people around yelled in shock as you suddenly shifted, body going from human to bat quickly.

Red screamed after you, but you paid no attention to him. You darted off through the city, heading towards the mountain.

You’d be safe there.


	13. Shack in the Woods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seems Missy has a couple new friends :3c

The forest made you feel better. It was fairly quiet, and there weren’t people around. You could hide amongst the other forest animals. People mistake you for a bear often enough.

You finally slowed your run to a trot, panting heavily. Your chest hurt, and you couldn’t breathe.

You stopped at a river, and just… dunked your entire face into it. You gulped down water- and probably a couple river bugs and one small fish- then brought your face back up to breathe. The cold water dripped off of your muzzle, flicking to the side when you turned your head. Your anxiety spiked.

It was quiet. Too quiet for a forest. No birds were singing, no insects chirping, no animals chittering.

Only the river’s rushing water, and loud, crunching footsteps.

You darted off into the trees again, only to be caught in a large net. You screamed angrily, trying to tear through the net with your teeth and claws.

“Sounds like we caught something, bro,” a familiar, deep voice said when the stomping got closer. A giddy, slightly slurred voice responded. Happy to have caught some “food”. Your eyes widened. You just came down from an episode, only to feel a painful panic settle in your chest.

“SANS,” you yelled. “‘PYRUS!” The footsteps stopped, before picking up speed.

Papyrus was the first one you saw, but… it wasn’t your Papyrus. He was huge, with jagged teeth and wide eyelights. A smaller skeleton followed- he was bigger than your Sans by a good foot, and had a gaping hole in his skull. A red eyelight stared through you.

“... Seems it knows the others,” the Not-Sans said as the Not-Papyrus let you down. You stood, immediately scrambling away from the two strange skeletons. Your heart hammered in your chest, despite “Papyrus”’s attempts to calm you down.

Not-Sans pulled out a phone, calling someone. The phone rang, and rang, before it reached a voicemail. He cursed quietly, before leaving a message.

“Your pet ran into one of our nets, Vanilla. It’ll be at our place. Come pick it up”. You growled as he hung up the phone.

“Not a pet,” you huffed. “Vampire”. Not-Sans grunted, recognition flashing in his eyelight.

“You’re the vampire they took in, then?” Not-Papyrus perked up.

“You are welcome to wait in our home until the others come for you, new friend!” You hesitated. The other six were nice to you… they would be too, right?

“We have food to spare, if you’re hungry”. “Pap-”. The idea of food instantly piqued your interest. Yes, you just ate, but do you care? Absolutely not. You’re a hungry bitch.

Slowly, you nodded, and allowed the Not-Papyrus to lead you. Not-Sans grumbled, but brought up the rear. They led you into a thicker part of the woods, the huge skeleton babbling about his special spaghetti and how excited he is to find a new friend.

“... Names,” you finally asked, catching his attention. Not-Sans grunted.

“Sans and Papyrus, but I imagine the others told you their dumb little nicknames”. Your ears perked at the name-sharing. You looked at “Sans” curiously, his angry grin widening.

“They didn’t tell you? Not surprising. If you gotta call us by that, I’m Axe. My bro is Crooks”. “What’s your name, new friend?” You were quiet for a moment. You… really didn’t want the headache that came with trying to remember yourself.

“M… Missy. ‘S… what they call me”. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, miss Missy! Welcome to our home!” Their home is a small shack. It’s kept in pretty good condition, but is way smaller than the others’ large cabin.

The door was opened for you, and you were greeted by the smell of food. For once, it didn’t smell burnt. A Papyrus that knows how to not burn the fucking pasta? It’s a miracle.

“... Need… to use bathroom,” you said after a moment. Crooks perked up, pointing you in the direction of the bathroom. You hurried in there, slamming the door shut behind you. Vaguely, you heard Crooks asking Axe if the shorter brother thought you were shy. You didn’t bother listening for Axe’s response.

Your body was already screaming at you to change back. Your skin was tight, and your muscles hurt. You whined softly, scratching at your arm.

Okay… remember what Ordelia and Abe talked about. Relax. Focus on yourself.

You took a breath, only for it to be broken into a groan as your body begins to shift. You clawed at the wall, nearly tearing through the paint. Your skin itched as the fur dissipated, and you felt more vulnerable as you shrunk.

When you looked in the mirror, your human face met your stare. Alright. You’re getting the hang of transforming. That’s good. Now, if only you could not get a migraine and feel like you wanna die after you change. That’d be great. Your clothes also stayed intact, aside from a few tears from the run here.

When you exited the bathroom and found the new skeletons sitting in the kitchen. Food was already set out, and they piled the plates high. Crooks actually yelled when you came in, and Axe’s eyelight shrunk dangerously. You held your hands up.

“I- it’s me- Missy-” The two were hesitant, but Crooks realized you were wearing the same clothing. His smile came back.

“You startled us! I forgot surface monsters could do that,” he laughed, carefully patting his brother’s shoulder. Axe’s threatening grin didn’t change. He reached up, scratching the tips of his fingers against the edge of his unlit socket. Crooks patted his hand away, seemingly catching the shorter brother’s attention.

“Not in front of the hum- eh, vampire! And I told you to stop fiddling with that socket! You’ll just hurt yourself more!” Crooks sat down at the table. You stood there awkwardly, suddenly feeling like you shouldn’t be here. Axe’s bright red eyelight turned to you, grin tense.

“Pull up a seat, won’t ya? We’re just dying to get to know you”. Hesitantly, you sat down at the table next to Crooks. The skeletons dug in, Axe staring right at you as he ate. His grin widened when your cheeks lost a bit of color.

“Something eatin’ at ya, kiddo?” The familiar pun didn’t hold the same humor it did when Red said it, earlier. You shook your head, slowly starting to eat.

Fuck, it was so good.

You had only eaten half of your lunch earlier, and didn’t realize how hungry you still were. After taking a few hesitant bites, you began scarfing the food down. In the back of your mind, you could hear Papyrus’ voice scolding at you. Yet, the Papyrus next to you just laughed proudly.

“Glad you like it so much! There’s plenty more, if you’re hungry afterwards!” You nodded, looking back up at Axe. He was less tense, but still staring at you intently. It made you slow down on your eating, but you didn’t stop.

“... Why… you live out here,” you asked slowly, finally looking Axe in the eye. He shrugged, grin relaxing to a more familiar- if damaged- face.

“Didn’t like how things were run with the other six. Pap and I decided to live out here, after we found this place,” Axe explained. “As long as we check in with them every month or so, we don’t have to deal with them”. You asked why, voice muffled slightly from a full mouth. Axe grunted.

“They ain’t all bad, I guess- the angry ones are alright. The others… they didn’t quite like how Papyrus and I see the world. Let’s put it that way,” he said, shoving a fork-full of pasta into his mouth. He had a vacant look in his eye, so you decided… to just drop the subject. From the way these two looked, wherever they came from was rough.

You can relate not wanting to talk about it.

“What about you,” Axe finally asked, refocusing on you. You paused, swallowing your food. “Why were you running through here like a bat outta hell?” You couldn’t help but snort slightly at the joke, and Crooks grumbled on your left. Axe’s grin widened. Thankfully, it wasn’t malicious like the first time. Your laughter ceased when you remembered why you came out here. You groaned loudly, putting a hand across your eyes.

“... Got, uh… scared,” you said simply. “Ran… far from town. Red is… not gonna be happy”. Axe whistled.

“Ran all the way here, from the city? Damn”. You sighed.

“Feel like I wanna die”. Axe barked out a laugh, and Crooks let out an exasperated chuckle.

“Don’t we all,” Axe snickered, finishing off his food. He watched you finish yours off, then finally looked away to check his phone. Crooks asked if you were still hungry, but you shook your head. You wanted more, yes, but you knew your limits, by now.

Maybe you’ll ask if you can take some home, though.

Right when you were about to ask Crooks for some takeout, there was a pounding on the door. The taller skeleton hurried to the door, leaving you and Axe alone. He grinned at you, getting up.

“Seems your boyfriend’s here,” he said when he heard Red’s voice. You got up as well, flushing slightly at the idea of Red being your boyfriend.

Well… you wouldn’t be against the idea, to say the least.

He took you to the living room, where Red was waiting. You were afraid he’d be angry, but he just looked relieved. He hurried over, grabbing your shoulders carefully.

“Christ, you scared the shit out of me,” he growled- not in fury, though. A worried growl that made your chest tighten. God, you felt horrible.

“Thanks for helping her out,” Red said, tossing something to Axe. The other Sans caught it. Looking at it closer, it seemed to be a candy bar. Unspoken agreement, maybe?

“Don’t mention it,” Axe said, pocketing the candy. “Just be more careful. She almost became tomorrow’s dinner”. Red tensed up, eyelights shrinking. Crooks scolded Axe, who simply chuckled.

“Oh, calm down. If it’s any consolation, we found her in her animal form. If we knew she was human, we wouldn’t have thought about it”. “I didn’t think about it!” Axe paused, sweating slightly. He coughed.

“Anyway, guess we’ll be seeing you around, Sugar,” Axe grinned. He could tell Red was getting agitated. Perfect.

“Visit us again- we’ll have more of Papyrus’ “special spaghetti” ready”. Red reeled back slightly, about to say something. Crooks leaned down to speak in stage whisper.

“Don’t worry, I use deer and rabbit”. Red’s jaw clicked shut, before he grabbed your hand. He grumbled out a “come on”, before pulling you out of the shack. You looked back at Crooks and Axe. The former was waving enthusiastically, while the latter simply winked. When the door was shut, you looked back to Red.

“... Why’d you run off,” he finally asked, when you two were nearly to the cabin. You swallowed thickly, feeling embarrassed as to why you actually ran. He turned to you, letting your hand go and crossing his arms.

“... Scared,” you said quietly. He rose a brow bone, so you continued.

“P… popping noises. Brought back… bad memories. I… I had… had to go,” you said, voice growing more timid as you went on. You felt your eyes burn with tears. Scrubbing at your face angrily, you huffed out a small sob.

“Hate it. Am stupid for running. I’m sorry- don’t be mad-”. Red sighed, pulling your hands away from your face. You sniffed, looking down at him. He wasn’t smiling, but he didn’t look angry.

“I’m not mad. I was fucking worried, yeah, but not mad. I could… tell you were having an episode”. He hesitated, before sighing. He ran a hand over his skull, before rubbing the back of his neck.

“I know how it feels, Missy, to get that worked up and not be able to think right. Just… next time you feel an episode starting, try and give me some kinda warning. You can’t just… run off like that. I’ll get you out of whatever’s going on, alright? But, you gotta talk to me. Okay?” You were quiet, hiccupping softly. Finally, you nodded your confirmation, before leaning down to hug him.

His cheekbones flushed a bright red, and a flustered smile settled on his face. He patted your back, letting you calm down before letting you go. He let you grab his hand again, and began taking you back to the cabin.

“When we get home, I’m taking the longest nap possible,” he said, yawning slightly. You huffed tiredly, rubbing your eyes with your free hand.

“Will join you,” you mumbled, making him snort. You smiled as you two entered the house.

“It’s a date, little Missy,” he laughed, dropping onto the couch. You plopped on the other side, curling up against the arm of the couch. You two were out like a couple of lights.

Sans and Stretch came back up to find you two sleeping on opposite ends of the couch, in similar positions. Right down to the drool on the fabric of the couch arms. Boss was so going to yell at you two for that.


	14. Yeeting Moments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some feel-good chapters! You guys have had a lot of information and angst thrown at you, and I don't want you guys to get too overwhelmed with it. Plus, stuff like this makes stories longer. Don't worry, I won't forgo plot for SUPER long- just enough to give u guys a lil fun b4 any kinda Fuck Shit happens.
> 
> Wanted to go ahead and upload this chapter, since I've been kinda neglecting the story for a bit. But now I've planned out how I want the majority of this story to go, so the only thing that might rly get in the way is energy askdfjskdf. Hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> Also after doing the research and math I've discovered that Missy, canonically, would not know what Vine is. She missed the rise and fall of Vine due to [REDACTED] so I'm fucking losing it over the fact Missy has no idea what Vine is,,,,

A few days after the McDonald’s incident, you were having a chill day with Sans and Papyrus. You forgot where the others went, but you were fine doing your aerobics with Papyrus to keep you busy. Sans HAD joined you two, but he fell asleep standing up so Papyrus moved him to the couch. Your laughing woke him up, but the shorter skeleton was content in staying on the sofa. He claimed he had enough exercise, and Papyrus was inclined to agree.

Sans was working on something behind you two, grumbling to himself as he chucked a paper ball towards the nearest trash can. It ended up hitting Papyrus in the back of the head. The taller skeleton stomped, turning around with The Eyes. Sans began to sweat, letting out a quiet “fuck”.

“Stop. YEETING,” Papyrus yelled. The use to the meme made Sans snort- he wasn’t expecting it. Papyrus’ demeanor immediately changed, as he started snickering too.

“Sorry for scaring you, brother, but I had to give it the full effect!” Sans laughed, shaking his head. You gave the brothers a weird look.

“Y… yeet?” The pure confusion in your voice made Sans wheeze a little, covering his face with his hand. Papyrus giggled, patting your back.

“It’s a viral joke, friend! Never heard of it?” You shook your face. Papyrus frowned slightly.

“Hm, odd. With Blue in the house, I swear I never hear the end of them!” Papyrus went to turn off the aerobics dvd, going to shower and get changed. You sat near Sans, waiting on your turn to shower. Sans finally calmed down, smiling as he went back to his work.

Peeking over the papers, you saw a lot of blueprints and math that you’d never hope to make out. Man, Sans must be a genius. Maybe he could answer the question you’ve had since you met Axe and Crooks.

“... Sans,” you finally started, catching his attention. He glanced over at you, humming slightly to show he was listening. You hesitated, but were determined to ask.

“... Why’s everyone named Sans and Papyrus?” His pen stopped moving, and he stared at the paper in front of him quietly. His eyelights were gone for a split second, before returning. His smile became tired, and he sighed heavily.

“I’m guessing Axe dropped the ball on that,” he mumbled, but clearly directed it towards you. You nodded, and he huffed. Sans sat up fully, facing you.

“It’s... “ he hesitated, looking off to the side “nothing for you to worry about”. You frowned. You moved closer to Sans, and he almost flinched. His smile went away completely.

“Look, it’s… a big mistake on my part. Just know I’m… trying to fix it”. He forced himself to give you a reassuring smile, but you weren’t convinced. You crossed your arms, and he leaned against the back of the couch.

“... There are a lot of different timelines, and universes,” he, reluctantly, said. “The one we’re in is mine and my brother’s. The others are from different timelines- where things are different. And in Axe’s and Red’s cases… very different,” he said, voice growing quiet at the last part. He finally looked at you again.

“Don’t… tell Red that I told you. He didn’t want you to know- or worry. Just know we’re… all trying to fix my fuck up”. You were quiet. You didn’t like the idea of keeping something from Red- especially knowing something this important. But Sans seemed nearly pleading.

“... Won’t lie if he asks,” you agreed. Sans looked a little relieved. You wouldn’t outright tell him, but if he asks or figures it out, you won’t lie. Your friend accepted your answer though, and sat up again.

“Well, uh… things got a little tense, huh?” You snorted slightly, nodding. He grinned, pulling out his phone.

“How about, to chill things out, I show you where “yeet” came from?” You laughed, moving closer to see the phone screen.

By the time Papyrus came down to tell you that you could use the shower, you were in stitches. Tears fell down your face, and you were struggling to catch your breath. Sans was wheezing, and a man was talking about barbeque sauce on his titties. Papyrus sighed, a fond smile on his face.

“Yes, yes, you two can laugh at vines later. Missy, you need to shower!” You heaved out a laugh, getting up to go shower. You heard the two laughing at the short videos, before Papyrus went to go make sandwiches for lunch. You smiled, grabbing your clothes and entering the restroom.

As you undressed, you caught sight of yourself in the mirror. Your hand trailed across your chest and down your torso. Old scars littered the skin there. You knew there were burn marks on your back. Your eyes trailed down to your arms. Needle marks were in the crook of your elbows. You looked back up at your reflection’s face, seeing your skin growing pale. Your breathing picked up, and your head became fuzzy.

Faint flashes of shattered memories rushed through you. A glint of a knife. The smell of blood. Sickening cracks of bone and agonized screeches. A comforting growl at your side as you were assured you’d live through this. Whatever “that” was.

You clutched the sink, shaking your head. Deep breaths- in, and out. You were fine. Whatever those memories were, that’s all they were. Memories.

Sometimes, you weren’t sure if you wanted to remember, though.

You swallowed the bile in your throat, finally forcing yourself to the shower. Now that you know how to work the faucet, and didn’t have to deal with scorching- or freezing- water, you started liking bathing more. That, and you didn’t have open wounds that burned anytime they got soap in them. That always put a damper on baths.

The warm water immediately soothed you, easing the phantom pains you had begun to get during your flashback. You forced yourself not to think about it, instead recalling the dumb videos Sans showed you. You ended up laughing so hard you snorted water up your nose and got shampoo in your eyes. Papyrus nearly busted the door down when he heard you yell.

“ARE YOU ALRIGHT IN THERE??” You wheezed, caught off guard by your friend banging on the door.

“I’m fine,” you called. “I just… got shampoo in my eyes-” “Be more careful! I know how bad it burns when I get shampoo in my eyes!” You paused.

“You don’t have HAIR!” “Well I like to be extra clean!” HELLO?

When he was sure you were alright, he went back to making lunch. You snickered to yourself at the absurdity of the situation, before going back to rinsing off.

When you were clean, you hurried to dry off and get dressed. You didn’t want to get caught up in another Episode, at the moment. Plus, you were fucking hungry.

You nearly ran down the stairs, a newfound energy surging through you. You burst into the kitchen, startling the two skeletons at the counter. You took a deep breath, making them look at you curiously.

“OH, SWORM,” you yelled at the top of your lungs, catching them off guard. Sans immediately went into hysterics, leaning forward on his knees. Papyrus busted out in startled laughter, throwing his head back. You snorted, cackling.

“That’s not even RIGHT,” Sans wheezed, trying to catch his breath. You grinned, propping yourself against the counter.

“Does matter?” “God, no, it was fucking funny”. “SANS!” Sans apologized for the curse, finally able to stand up straight. Papyrus rolled his eyelights, handing you a plate and your bowl of medicine-filled yogurt. You sat at the table with the brothers, scarfing down the yogurt as fast as you could. You wanted to taste as little of it as possible. You drowned the medicinal aftertaste with apple juice, then dug into your sandwiches.

“Someone seems to be in a good mood today,” Sans grinned, causing you to look up. Cheeks full of food, you simply nodded in agreement. Sans let out a small huff of a laugh, leaning back against his chair as he ate.

“Well, you might be in an even better mood after I tell ya the good news”. Papyrus suddenly got giddy, a bright smile on his face. You swallowed, raising your brows at the older brother.

“All of us have been talking, and we just got the clear from Arle about it. Since summer’s gonna end soon, we all wanted to hang out at a beach for a few days. You ever been to one?” You paused, trying to think back. You, still, couldn’t really remember anything past a few months ago. So, you shook your head.

“Well, in about a week, we’ll be going to one. We just gotta make sure our schedules are clear, and get everyone’s medication stocked up”. You learned you weren’t the only one having to take medicine. Most of the Sanses, and Stretch, had antidepressants. Sans, himself, had to take something for his narcolepsy, and Red, Axe and Crooks took stuff for night terrors. You didn’t know if anyone took anything else, though.

You grinned, bouncing in your seat- just like Papyrus was. The tall skeleton let out his signature laugh.

“We’ll have such fun! I’ve been wanting to learn how to surf!” Sans started to sweat.

“Pap, you can’t swim that well-” “Well, I shall learn to float first! THEN I’ll surf, Sans! It’s easy!” You doubted it was, if Sans’ continuing attempts to dissuade his brother meant anything. You snickered slightly, listening to the two bicker about surfing and floaties.

The two finally fell silent after a while, opting to finish their food instead of argue about hypothetical drownings. You finished your food quickly.

“Alright if make another?” Papyrus gave you a teasing side-eye.

“Extra hungry today, hm?” “Hungee,” you agree, getting up to make another sandwich. Sans snorted, and Papyrus groaned.

“Dunno,” you answered honestly. “Feel really hungry”. Sans asked if you’ve had your blood the past few days. You paused, then went to pull out a bag from the back of the fridge.

“Guess that’s a no,” Sans said, making you stick your tongue out at him. You drank the blood down, shuddering slightly at the cold substance, then went to make another sandwich. You put as much meat on it as was acceptable, then went back to the table. Papyrus gave your food an actual side-eye, while Sans’ own sockets widened.

“Damn, you really must be hungry”. You felt your cheeks flushed slightly, but eagerly ate anyway. Papyrus went to go clean his plate, then started on putting the furniture back in its’ original place in the living room. Sans stayed at the table with you, keeping you company while you ate. He texted someone on his phone, before pocketing the device.

“You doin’ alright,” he asked, a bit quiet so Papyrus didn’t overhear. You nodded, giving him a curious look. His smile softened.

“I passed by the bathroom before you got in the shower. Heard you whining”. You had been whining? You don’t remember doing so. You swallowed, lowering your hands slightly as you thought.

“Don’t worry too much about it- sometimes we do things we don’t remember, when we’re caught up in something,” he said. The way he said it, coupled by the distant look in his eye, made you think he’s been through similar situations. He shook off whatever stupor he started to get into, looking back at you.

“Wanna talk about it?” You looked down at your half-eaten meal, thinking back to the moment in the bathroom. The knife, the blood, the screaming, the voice... 

You shook your head, not trusting your voice. If you talked, you knew you’d cry. You just got happy news- you didn’t want to ruin the mood. Sans gave you an assuring smile, reaching over to pat your arm.

“Alright. I won’t push it- that won’t help you feel better. If you do wanna talk, though, we’re here”. You thought back to Blue’s speech, and you felt a warmth in your chest. You gave him an appreciative smile back.

“Thanks,” you said. “Will talk, if need to”. Sans nodded, letting you finish your food. He took both of your plates, telling you not to worry about washing yours. You gave him a hug, and did something you only did with Red.

You lightly bopped your forehead against his, a way you’ve shown affection in your beast form. You heard him choke slightly, and saw his face turn a pretty shade of blue. You couldn’t help but snicker slightly, thanking him again before going to see if Papyrus needed help.

Sans watched you go, sighing slightly as he tried to will the magic in his face to leave. A dopey grin settled on his face.

You were, certainly, an interesting woman.


	15. It's A Phase, Mom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the chapter title is just bc its stupid alksdfjghdkf. sorry abt the silence for a while! internet was down, and i had to remember where i was going with this chapter bc i couldnt access the doc for five days. next chapter starts the beach episodes!!

You know how, just a few days ago, you were feeling energized? Refreshed and generally just feeling good?

Yeah, that shit is completely gone.

You overslept, and were sleeping so deeply that Red nearly had to yell at you to wake up. You were still starving, for some reason, though. It was a painful kind of hungry, too. You were nearly whining at Blue to make more breakfast for you.

Thankfully, Blue’s a pushover.

Mood swings have also been PLENTIFUL today. You snapped at Red, Boss, Stretch, and even Papyrus. You, immediately, cried upon realizing you yelled at Papyrus. Papyrus, in turn, began to cry because YOU were crying. Blue started crying from upstairs, as well, because he heard you both apologizing to each other. No one really understood how Blue heard you two from his room.

The others have, mostly, given you space today. Which you’re fine with- you’re REALLY not in the mood to talk to anyone. You’ve just been… sleeping for most of the day. You had no idea why you were so tired, and neither did the boys. It was freaking them out.

Especially when you slept through dinner.

Your breed of vampire is on par with a werewolf, in terms of how much they need to eat. You NEVER miss a meal. Boss had called you multiple times, but received no answer. The skeleton huffed, stomping to the back door as the others watched. Everyone had already finished eating, and were just as worried as Boss pretended not to be.

“Get up, mongrel,” Boss yelled, knocking on your shelter wall. “You missed dinner! If you don’t eat, I’m going to throw your share out!” He wouldn’t. He just likes to pretend he has the strength to do so.

You grunted from your spot in the back of the shelter, seemingly ignoring him. Boss scowled, knocking louder on the wall.

“Wake up! You’ve been lazing about all day- even worse than my brother! Get up and eat, you lazy-” You growled deeply, finally looking up at him. Your eyes glinted in the dark, pupils thin slits as you glared. Boss’ words died in his non-existent throat as you stood. It took him a minute to realize you were in your beast form.

“What’s wrong with you? I know you’ve been irritable, but… you…” You stalked towards him, snarling. Boss took a few steps back, eyeing you warily as you exited the shelter. His scowl softened, turning into a confused frown.

“Answer me when… when I’m talking to you!” You roared, running at the Papyrus. He screamed, bringing up a wall of bones to block your lunge. He hurried back towards the open door, where Sans was appearing.

“What the hell’s happening-” Boss nearly knocked him down, yelling for Sans to shut the door. Sans barely had time to react before Boss pulled him back in, slamming the door shut. You smacked into the glass, screeching and hissing. Sans’ sockets widened as he stumbled away from the door.

The other skeletons emerged from the living room, wondering what all the screaming was about. Everyone froze as they saw you attack the door in a frenzy. Red shook it off, going to the door out of instinct. Boss gripped his shoulder, yanking him back.

“Boss-” “Red, she attacked me. If you let her in, she’ll hurt someone,” Boss growled, making Red panic slightly. He looked out the door, looking at your hunched form. You were stalking back, and forth, in front of the door. A look of pure, animalistic hunger in your eyes. Red began to sweat.

“Vanilla. Call Arle”. Sans shook off his daze, grabbing his phone and dialing the Emthrall.

All the skeletons sat around the table, half watching you and half watching Sans. When they finally picked up, they sounded tired.

“Arle speaking”. Sans let out the breath he had been holding.

“Hey, uh… we got a problem with Missy”. Arle was quiet for a second. A faint purring noise could be heard in the background.

“Let me guess. Animalistic. Not responding to verbal communication- Alex, not now”. The purring noise, now much closer, turned to a whine. Sans mumbled his confirmation, looking back out the window. His eyelights dilated. You weren’t there.

He snapped his fingers, motioning to the door. Red’s head snapped to the glass, sucking in a breath when he saw you were gone. Arle continued, unaware of the worry the skeletons felt.

“Yeah. You know how werewolves do their bullshit during a full moon? Same with vampires, if they have the beast foRM-” they screeched, at the end of the sentence. A loud thud was heard, as the phone fell to the ground. Arle could be heard cussing at Alex, yelling at him to get off, before grabbing the phone again.

“SAME WITH VAMPIRES,” they repeated, annoyance in their tone, “during a new moon, if they have a beast form”.

“Are… you alright, over there?” Arle sighed heavily, mumbling at Sans to hold on. They yelled “GO FETCH” and threw something for Alex to chase. Sans heard something fall over- seemingly a small table, as Arle yelled about it- before hearing loud stomping going the opposite direction.

“Yeah. Alex is going through his moon phase, too. He’s like a dog- which, isn’t really anything new. He was always hyper and overly affectionate”. Sans let out a small laugh, before looking back at the others. Red was, slowly, exiting the house- Boss and Stretch in tow. You were nowhere to be seen.

“Anyway, the issue with Missy-” “Right, sorry”. Sans muttered a “no worries”, before continuing.

“She got… REALLY agitated, and aggressive”. The Emthrall on the other end grew quiet again. They mumbled something, before speaking to Sans directly again.

“Are you in immediate danger?” “She’s… not here, at the moment-” Arle groaned.

“Alright. I need you to find her NOW. Gangrels are aggressive, normally. During her moon phase, she might kill someone. You’re all strong enough to take one vampire down, I’m sure”. Sans sighed, before confirming their assumption.

“You need to find her, and try to calm her down. If something goes wrong, call me again- or Sylvi, if it’s bad enough. She’ll be able to actually come down there, as she doesn’t have her own vampire to babysit”. As if on cue, Alex returned and almost pushed Arle to the ground again.

“LISTEN YOU HORNDOG,” they yelled, smacking him lightly. They said a hurried “call me if anything changes” and hung up. Sans sat there with his phone to his skull, sweat dripping down and eyelights extinguished. Papyrus put a hand on his shoulder, bringing him back to the present. He hung up, shutting his eye sockets tiredly. He called the other three back in.

“Alright, so you know how werewolves go through their whole thing on a full moon?” Everyone nodded, although Blue had to be reminded of it quietly. Of course he knew about that. He wouldn’t forget!

“Well, apparently vampires with beast forms do the same thing, on new moons. And because Missy is a Gangrel, she’s gonna be real aggressive. Arle says we gotta find her, and bring her back, or else she could… really hurt someone”. All the skeletons went deathly quiet. They all glanced at each other, before looking at the de facto leader of the house. Sans stood, pulling his jacket on.

“I say we split up- have our phones on hand if we find her. Red, you and Boss go warn the other two about her”. Red nodded, immediately heading out the door with his brother.

“Stretch, you and Blue head towards the hiking path nearby. Pap and I’ll search the property and surrounding area for clues”. The swapped brothers saluted- Blue’s determined, and Stretch’s lazy. They went out the front, as the hiking trail is that way. Sans patted his brother’s back, following the darker brothers out the back.

\----------------

Axe had been sitting on the edge of his own property- or, what the two had deemed their property. Crooks was happily humming inside as he was cleaning up after dinner. Axe scrolled through facebook, bored out of his mind.

He looked up when he heard faint growling. His anxiety spiked, remembering the growling in the woods of Snowdin. You always avoid the growling.

A familiar silhouette trudged through the bushes, coming into view of the porch light. Axe almost relaxed, before he saw the hunger in your eyes. His grin tightened. It wasn’t starvation-induced, but it was… a familiar look.

“Look what showed up on our doorstep- more willingly, at least,” he said, quickly texting Red to ask what the hell you were doing here. He pocketed the device, standing slowly. You continued towards him, body lowered and ready to pounce at any moment.

“... You hungry, kid?” He picked up a plate that was next to him. A hot dog sat on it, half eaten. You, immediately, focused on the food. 

Axe used some of his magic to float the hot dog over to you, and you ate it eagerly. He opened the door, calling for Papyrus to get the leftover steak they had made.

“Why? Are you that hungry again? You just took a hot dog out there!” “Bro, please, just bring ‘em here”. Crooks hesitated at the urgency in Axe’s voice, before silently doing as his brother asked.

Exiting the house, the tall skeleton paused when he saw you glowering at them. Axe took the plate of steak from his brother, wordlessly tossing one to you. You tore into it, growling appreciatively.

“Brother… What-” “Dunno. But feeding her keeps her from attacking, so I’m gonna do that”. His phone went off, and he looked at the text. Red summarized what Sans told them, and said he and Boss were on their way. Axe grunted, pocketing his phone and throwing another piece of meat at your feet.

“Apparently, this is normal,” Axe said simply, sitting back down on the steps. Crooks sat next to him, legs bent awkwardly as he sat close to the ground. Axe told him that Red and Boss were coming to get you.

The two watched you as you finished off the last of the steak. With food in your stomach, you were much calmer. You plopped your ass down where you stood, laying on your stomach and idly licking your paws. You stared the skeletons down. Axe’s grin was tense, digits digging into the edge of his unlit socket. Crooks sat nervously, uneasy with the way you were glaring at them.

Your head snapped to the side upon hearing footsteps. Red and Boss emerged from the foliage, the taller skeleton complaining about getting mud in his boots. Red looked you over, seeing you were fine.

“We fed her some leftover steak, and half a hot dog.” Axe is gonna have you refund him a hotdog, when you’re in your right mind. Red sighed with relief, slowly coming over to you. You stood defensively, growling. He held his hands up.

“Come on, Missy. You know me. You gotta come back to the house,” he said slowly, approaching you. You sniffed the air, catching a familiar scent. Immediately, you moved towards Red. The smaller skeleton tensed up, moving back slightly.

“What, uh… what’cha doin-.” You nudged him with your head. The force knocked him onto his ass. He couldn’t get out a word before you just… flopped onto him. Red wheezed as your weight pressed against him. Boss panicked slightly, trying to yell at you to get off.

You simply growled at Boss, otherwise ignoring him. Red squirmed too much, making you get up. You curled around him instead, dropping your heavy arms on him to keep him in place.

Then, you began “grooming” him. Having no fur, you were just licking his skull and jaws, but it was enough to fluster the alternate Sans. Axe started snickering, earning a glare from his counterpart. Boss was yelling at you to stop that and go home, while Crooks just looked embarrassed.

“I have to… finish the dishes!” Crooks hurried inside, not letting anyone ask if he was okay.

“Seems like you’re having the time of your life, Red.” Red snarled at Axe, only to grunt when you pushed his head down slightly.

“I already had a bath, Missy, let GO-” he struggled- “or I’ll fuckin’...” He stopped talking when he finally heard you purring. Red sighed heavily, giving up the struggle.

“Oh, whatever,” he grumbled, seeing Axe pull something out. Axe’s grin grew, and he held up his phone.

“Say cheese.” “DON’T FUCKING TAKE A PICTURE.”

Axe fucking took a picture. And recorded it. And sent it to everyone else. Red was never going to hear the end of this.


	16. Fun in the Sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Saturday! I've been sick recently, so I wasn't really in the mood to write. It's time for the beach episodes! There won't be too many, so we don't get away from the main plot too long, but I need some Filler before the Plot. This chapter is with the Tale and Swap bois. Next is the Fell and Horror bois! It's also a bit longer, so everyone gets some kind of time with Missy.
> 
> Remember, you can contact me at itsthesinbin.tumblr.com! I'm most active there, and you can get updates/ask me stuff/submit stuff/ect.

You have no clue if you’ve been to a beach before, but you wondered if all of them were this pretty.

Sans and Papyrus got you all into a special sea-side resort- MTT Waves. You didn’t bother paying close attention, as you were too busy taking in the sights. Papyrus rambled on about their friend- Mettaton- while he pulled into the resort. You assumed this “Mettaton” owned the place, if the name plastered everywhere wasn’t enough of a clue.

For the duration of your stay, you’d be sharing a room with Red and Boss, since Red was your primary caregiver. You had to wear a special necklace and bracelet with Red’s number and your status as a rehabilitation patient, in case you went into an episode, but it was better than wearing a full harness and leash.

Which is where your “I’m with stupid” t-shirt came into play. Since you had to wear matching bracelets showing your statuses as patient and caregiver, Red decided to get “I’m with stupid” and “I’m stupid” shirts for you two. The hand monster behind the counter thought it was absolutely adorable, much to Red’s embarrassment.

When everyone settled into their rooms, you all congregated into Red’s room, since it was the biggest. You were in the bathroom putting on your swimsuit- a modest one piece in your favorite color- while you listened to the others talk. When you put your clothes back on and came outside, attention turned to you.

“Well, Missy,” Red started, “since this is your first time here, what do you wanna do first?” Immediately, you yelled as loudly as you could.

“BEACH,” you screamed, jumping up and down a little. Red snorted, laughing loudly. Papyrus and Blue were at your sides instantly, also jumping and yelling for the beach. Sans sighed good-naturedly, grinning.

“Guess I know where we’re going to today,” he said, nudging Stretch slightly. The orange-clad skeleton chuckled as Sans went over to Red. You were too busy getting hype with Papyrus and Blue to notice.

“You coming with us, Red?” “Nah. Gonna hang out in the room today. I trust you can watch her, Vanilla,” Red replied, clapping Sans on the shoulder. Sans nodded, before Red gave him a small fanny pack. He looked at his counterpart curiously.

“Sunscreen- extra strong. Medicine she’ll need later. Whistle if she stops paying attention and wanders off.” Sans glanced at you, watching Papyrus and Blue drag you and Stretch off with the cooler and beach supplies. The original Sans smiled.

“Thanks.” He clipped the fanny pack to his waist, sticking his hands in his pockets. “I’ll take good care of her. You have a day off”. Red grunted slightly, not quite liking the idea of leaving Missy for a while, but didn’t say anything. He waved his alternate self off, and Sans set off after your group.

Nearing the end of summer, the beach wasn’t overly packed. Most people were getting ready for back to school shopping or going back to work. That left some “prime real estate”, as Papyrus put it. He and Blue got to work putting down the beach towels and your umbrella, while Sans approached you with the bottle of sunscreen.

“Time to lube up,” Stretch said as he eyed the bottle. Sans immediately sighed, a blue flush on his cheekbones.

“Time to shut up,” Sans replied, waving Stretch off. You watched Papyrus and Blue put on their swim gear, until Sans got your attention again.

“Alright- shirt and shorts off. We gotta get sunscreen on you.” You nodded, shedding your shirt and shorts quickly. You plopped down on your towel, and Sans sat behind you. He handed you the bottle, letting you put the goop on your arms, legs, neck, and face.

“You know how to swim, right?” “Mhm!” You’ve swam before- coming home soaked and everyone just assuming you hopped in a river. You did- but it was a deep river. Sans was happy with your answer.

“Alright… well, they can’t, so keep an eye on them, okay?” You glanced at the excitable skeletons that were on their way towards the water. You handed the bottle back to Sans, looking at him curiously. He got to work putting lotion on the exposed part of your back, and shoulders you couldn’t reach.

“Skeletons aren’t exactly made for swimming, honey,” Stretch explained from his spot next to you two. You looked down at him, only to snort and start laughing. He had shed his hoodie, and was wearing a woman’s one piece.

It was a hideous swimsuit that looked like a man’s chest- complete with nipples, chest hair, and a happy trail into nothing. You wheezed at the outfit, getting a lazy grin out of the tall skeleton.

“Like what you see?” You nodded, cackling at how ridiculous he looked. Stretch flashed a peace sign at an exasperated Sans, who put the bottle back into his fanny pack. He patted your back, letting you know he was done.

“Alright- you can go-”. You took off before he completely finished talking, making Stretch laugh.

You barreled into Blue, knocking the poor guy over. You two fell into the water, making you hack as water went up your nose. Papyrus yelled, asking if you two were okay. Papyrus helped you two stand, worried you were hurt. He was relieved when he saw you two giggling, though.

“We can’t quite go into the deeper water,” Blue started, “but we can go look at the tide pools!” Your eyes lit up, and you nodded excitedly. You grabbed Blue’s hand, telling him to lead the way. You missed the way his cheek bones flushed, but he led you happily. Papyrus hurried to your other side, holding your other hand. You laughed, letting the excited skeletons drag you forward.

The tide pools had some children around, and their designated adults helping them find shells and neat little creatures. Papyrus helped you up onto the rocks and, in turn, you helped Blue get up. Being a little slippery, you made sure he wouldn’t fall, before turning back to the pools.

You crouched down, looking through the water. Small fish darted through the still pools. Little crabs and sea slugs moved around rocks, and you even spotted a tiny octopus making its’ way back to the water over the rocks. Huh… never thought you’d see that.

You dropped to your hands and knees, reaching down to grab an abandoned shell. It was small, but pretty. After making sure no little critters were hiding in it, you dropped it in the small bucket Blue brought with him. That seemed to make him remember that shell hunting was a thing.

“Good idea, Missy,” he said, making you look at him in confusion. “Sea shell collecting! Let’s go find some good ones- bring home souvenirs for your first beach trip!” You grinned, and Papyrus laughed.

“I’ll, of course, be finding the BEST shells for our dear friend,” the tall skeleton boasted, patting your shoulder. Blue pouted slightly, before grinning. His signature starlights appeared, determination in his stare.

“You WISH, Pap! It’ll be ME that gets the best ones for her!” “Oh? Is that a competition, I hear?” The two smirked at each other, hidden rivalry in their gazes. Your smile fell, but before you could say anything they were off. They didn’t wander too far away from you, knowing they couldn’t let you get lost, but they were… really into it.

“Having fun,” a voice asked. You glanced over, seeing Stretch standing on the rock next to you. Weird- when did he get there?

You looked back out at the boys, who were laughing with each other. You crossed your arms as Stretch crouched next to you.

“Suddenly got into fight.” Stretch could tell you meant ‘competition’. He laughed, clapping you on the back.

“Yeah, they tend to do that. Be thankful Boss ain’t involved.” After watching the two for a second, he stood again. He held a hand out, offering to help you up. You took it, standing.

“You wanna go into the water for a bit, while they get that outta their systems?” You didn’t know how long they’d go at it, and you didn’t want to sit there watching them. You nodded, following Stretch off of the rocks.

He took you to the designated swimming area, letting your hand go. You looked at him, and he nodded slightly, so you took off for the water. You splashed next to a large werewolf, who cackled at getting soaked. She shook her fur off at you, making you snort and laugh. She giggled, waving slightly as someone called her back to the beach. You said bye, before starting to swim to the edge of the designated area.

When you went back towards the beach, Stretch had made his way into the shallow water. Having shed his shorts, he was just in the skin-colored one piece. His hands were on his hips, drawing attention to the Ken doll situation of his swimsuit. You wheezed out a laugh, making him grin.

“Something funny?” He held his hands up, shrugging slightly like he didn’t know what you were laughing at. You shook your head, moving to get next to him again.

“Should’ve brought some oranges or something-” he snickered, shimmying his ribcage to get the idea across- “put ‘em in a bikini top over this.” The idea made you snort, leading to you coughing some excess water up. The skeleton chuckled, patting your back.

“... Sans’ll want you,” he said, after glancing at the large clock nearby. You looked at the time, realizing you needed to take your meds. Stretch headed towards the tide pools.

“Time for lunch, anyway. I’ll get the wonder twins- you head back to our spot.” You glanced around for Sans. Thankfully, a short skeleton was pretty easy to find. You nodded to Stretch, getting out of the water and trudging over to Sans. You felt so heavy after being in the water, and Sans could tell. He grinned slightly, motioning to your umbrella-covered towel. You huddled under it, not realizing how relieved you’d be to be out of the sun.

“Having a good time, kid,” he asked, pulling out a bottle of water and your medicine. He let you take that while he pulled the cooler closer. You shuddered as the pills went down- fuck did you hate taking pills- and set the bottle next to you. Sans handed you a container that held your lunch, as well as a small blood pouch. Your tore into the blood first, drinking it down as the other skeletons finally found their way back.

The four dug into the cooler, pulling out their respective food. Blue sat on your towel next to you, while Papyrus shared a towel with Stretch. Both hyper skeletons presented their buckets to you, grinning proudly. You threw the empty blood bag into your little shared trash bag, wiping the excess from around your mouth. The sight made Sans shift uncomfortably, and this time you definitely noticed. You’ll have to ask him about that, later.

“We got the shells! And my bucket is definitely more full,” Blue said, smiling proudly. Papyrus gave him a playful glare.

“Yes, yours is full, friend. But most of mine are bigger!” You peeked into the buckets. Blue’s was, indeed, full. And Papyrus had found large, intact shells. The conch sitting on top of Papyrus’ bucket was what caught your eye.

You pulled it out. You don’t know how he found one that big in the tide pools, but it was easily as big as your palm. It was a gorgeous off-white, much like the aforementioned skeleton’s bones.

“Oh wow,” you mumbled, missing Papyrus’ smug grin and Blue’s deflated posture. You started to bring it closer to your face, only to feel something… off. You jerked it back, and a small crab peeked out of it. You screamed in shock, but thankfully didn’t drop the poor thing.

Stretch started howling at your expression, as well as Papyrus’ horrified look. Papyrus quickly snatched up the shell, hurrying back to the tide pools.

“I’M SO SORRY, LITTLE FRIEND, I DIDN’T REALIZE I STOLE YOUR HOME- WITH YOU IN IT!”

You four watched him go, Stretch still trying to catch his breath. Sans let out an exasperated laugh, and Blue began giggling like mad. You rubbed your face, laughing slightly before going back to your lunch.

You looked into Blue’s basket, pulling out a small spiral shell. You found a near match in Papyrus’ bucket, as well. You held them up to your ears, determination in your eyes.

“Earrings.” Blue’s eyelights lit up, as funny as that saying sounds. He took the two shells, putting them in his bag.

“I can make clip-ons for you, when we get home!” “YES.” Blue laughed at your enthusiasm, and you all went back to eating your lunches. Papyrus returned, feeling bad about stealing a little crab’s home. You patted his back, hand lingering on the odd feeling of bone against skin. You flushed, when you realized you were just holding your hand on his spine.

You missed the subtle color to Papyrus’ cheekbones, as you turned back to your food.

“Wanna go to the pier for a bit, after this, kid?” Sans glanced over at you, and Blue looked up.

“Can I come too?” “If she’s fine with it, sure.” You nodded. Papyrus sighed slightly.

“I would join you, but I promised a new friend I’d join a surfing class with them!” Sans began to sweat, asking if he thought that was safe. Papyrus assured his brother that he’ll be as careful as possible, and that the class gives magic lifejackets to make sure that the less buoyancy-inclined monsters stay afloat. Sans was absolutely NOT convinced, but there was no swaying Papyrus.

“I’ll stay here and watch the stuff- take a nap. Maybe tan,” Stretch said with a smile. You rolled your eyes, finishing off your lunch. You waited for Sans and Blue to get ready to go. You put on your shirt and shorts again, following the two shorties to the pier. You waved to Papyrus and Stretch, letting Blue hold your other hand again.

The pier was a bit crowded, but it wasn’t as bad as the beach. You spotted a few performers- human and monster- along the sidelines. Blue got enthralled by a magic show and ran over to it. Sans started to follow, but you caught his shoulder. He looked up at you curiously.

“... Earlier, with the blood… are… you alright?” He hesitated, grin tightening. Clearly, he didn’t think you caught his disdain. He looked down, shrugging slightly. You removed your hand from his shoulder in response.

“Eh… I’ve just… never been too good around blood, I guess. I know the stuff we get from the blood bank is donated by willing participants, but…” he glanced off to the side, putting his hands in his pockets. You hesitated, before wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

“... Sorry.” “Don’t worry about it, kid. Like I said, I know the blood we get is from willing humans- I just get squeamish.” He suddenly grinned, going to pat where his stomach would be. He dissipated the magic keeping his shirt from forming around his ribs to let him swat at the air under the cloth.

“Don’t got the stomach for it.” You giggled slightly, rolling your eyes. Sans put his arm around your waist, the two of you leaning on each other while you waited for Blue. His grin was more relaxed, now that his nerves have passed.

“I’m fine, kid. I know that’s what you gotta eat. I can put up with minor discomfort, as long as it keeps you alive.” You let out a small “mmmm”, clearly not happy that he’s uncomfortable with dealing with your food. He slapped your back lightly, getting your attention.

“I mean it, bud. I can rationalize it, when it’s your situation. I know no one was actually hurt to get that blood. While I don’t like the blood itself, I can calm down when I remember every party is fine.” He rubbed your back, making a purr rise from your chest. You didn’t miss the blush that dusted his cheeks.

“I can put up with it for you.” The words seemed to have… a hidden meaning behind them, but that could just be you not knowing how to read the situation. You were about to reply, when Blue came back. He had a cup with a goldfish in it. You frowned in confusion.

“Where did-?” “The magician made it appear out of a dollar! I gotta go to the town to get a bowl for him!” Sans sighed, smile tired and eyelights rolling.

“Don’t keep it in a bowl forever, Blue.” “I know! It’s just until we get home- then I can get a proper home for our new friend!” You peeked into the cup, looking at the fish. You three started walking back to Stretch, now that you had a mission in mind.

“What should we name him,” Blue asked. You looked at the fish again, golden scales glittering in the sunlight.

“Sunshine,” you suggested. Blue’s face lit up. He almost started jumping, but then realized that could be dangerous. His grin stayed.

“Sunshine it is!”

Stretch was, indeed, asleep by the time you guys got back. Blue grabbed his wallet, telling a groggy Stretch he was going to town to buy fish supplies. Stretch was forced to wake up quickly, following his brother back to town. Sans snickered, plopping down on his towel.

“I’m probably gonna take a nap, too. Pap should be nearby.” You nodded a little, going to find the excitable skeleton. He’s no longer surfing, and is now wearing snorkel gear. And his giant fucking life jacket.

“Missy! Glad you could join me- I’m about to go snorkeling!” He grabbed your arm, pulling you towards the instructor and explaining you needed gear. The instructor got you a snorkel and a smaller lifejacket. Even though you knew how to swim, Papyrus insisted you wear it.

After listening to the instructor, you and Papyrus waded into the water. You could tell he was a little nervous, if the way his bones were rattling was any indication. You smiled, grabbing his hand.

“Won’t let you get hurt.” His bones rattled a little harder, his face brightening with flustered magic. He coughed, putting on a brave facade.

“And I won’t let you get hurt down there, either! You, ah… you’ll be safe with me, Missy!” You smiled, a purr erupting from your chest. You pulled him down and bopped your forehead against his lightly- the known way you show affection. Papyrus spluttered, making you snicker.

“Know I’m safe. I trust you.” He repressed the urge to wheeze, getting into his infamous pose.

“And that trust is well placed! Now, let’s go!” He pulled you into the water, making you laugh. Even among all these strangers and in the expanse of the ocean, you’ve never felt safer.


	17. Mirror Image

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it is wednesday my dudes. aaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAA
> 
> remember you can contact me/send asks/ect over at itsthesinbin.tumblr.com!

The beach itself is fun, but when Red invited you to hang out in the little tourist part of town, you couldn’t say no. Blue and Papyrus had pouted, wanting you to come back to the beach with them. Thankfully, Sans and Stretch managed to placate them- and save your ass from their puppy eye sockets.

You sat on Red’s bed, waiting for the four darker skeletons to get ready. You noticed Red was digging through one of his bags, frustration growing on his face. Walking over to him, you tapped his shoulder. When he looked up, his face relaxed slightly into a greeting smirk.

“Just the lady I was gonna look for,” he joked, turning back to his bag. He mumbled a “found it”, before pulling a shopping bag out. You furrowed your brow curiously.

“Got you a little present, while Boss and I were out.” He handed you the bag, and you opened it. You gasped happily when you pulled out a cute little sundress. It was a bit shorter than you were used to, but the flowy, flowery dress was adorable.

“Saw it was your size, and I know you been eyein’ more of the dresses when we’d swing by some stores.” You always found dresses and skirts pretty, but you were always afraid to wear anything due to your size. Your face fell a little at the thought, and Red noticed.

“Nah, nah, nah- you ain’t doin’ that today. You’re gonna go change and try it on,” he said lightly, pushing you towards the bathroom. You hesitated, but traded places with Crooks, who just got finished in the restroom.

Boss and Axe came back after checking in with the other group, asking if everyone was ready. Crooks said they were waiting on you, so everyone got comfortable while you changed and redid your hair. It had grown out a little since you chopped it all off, so you liked to put a hairband on to hold it out of your face. The metal hairband dug into your skull a little, but the little silver flowers and rhinestones looked good with the dress.

“How’s it look,” you asked as you re-entered the room. It went to your lower-thighs, and had spaghetti straps. The fabric flowed around your legs, and exposed your upper back and chest. 

Boss coughed slightly, swallowing his drink wrong. Red’s cheeks gained a bit of color, while Crooks clapped happily. Boss cleared his throat, grumbling something as he went to his own bag. Axe was the first to speak up.

“Well, you certainly are flowery,” he said, making you fidget. Red gave him a little look, before turning back to you.

“You look good, Missy. Really.” Before you could respond, Boss walked up to you with a large hat with a wide brim, and shoved it into your hands. You held it in confusion, looking up at the clearly-flustered skeleton.

“It’s to… It’s for the sun! Make it easier to keep it off of you,” he said simply. “So we don’t have to waste as much sunscreen.” You knew you’d still have to use the same amount of sunscreen, hat or not. The fact that Boss was thinking about your wellbeing made you feel… really nice.

You smiled, taking off the headband and putting the hat on. You fixed the brim to keep it out of your vision enough to see, and grinned up at Boss.

“I love it.” His face turned bright red, and he stomped off. You knew he was just embarrassed. Axe couldn’t help but snicker, making Boss growl at him. Red motioned for you to come over to his bed, patting the space next to him. When you sat down, he pulled out the sunscreen.

“Let’s go ahead and get you covered,” he said, letting you deal with the spots you could reach. He spread it along your shoulders and back, and then put the bottle away in case you needed to put more on. He was wearing the same fanny pack he gave to Sans, making you wonder if it was just… his pack. The idea of Red actually buying a fanny pack was adorable as hell.

“Alright, let’s get going,” Axe said, seeing you were ready. You slipped your flip flops on, immediately grabbing Red’s hand out of habit. He didn’t even react to it anymore, just grasping in return. Crooks, seeing you two holding hands, slipped his large one into yours. You grinned, holding your newer friend’s hand as well. Boss glanced at you three, grunting slightly as he took the lead. Axe took up the rear, eyeing your hands warily. Not that you could see, anyway.

“Where we going,” you asked. Boss immediately corrected the sentence- where ARE we going- before answering.

“There’s a fair in the tourist section of town, and they thought it was a good idea to bring you first.” You looked at Red, who grinned.

“Yeah- it doesn’t have rides and shit, but there are games and food stalls. Thought you’d like to hang out there, while everyone’s huddled on the beach today.” It was a bit warmer than yesterday, and there was a few classes happening on the beach today, so it would definitely be more crowded. You nodded thoughtfully, liking the idea of going to the attractions.

The little town wasn’t too busy, as it was fairly early. Crooks forgo holding your hand to point out different birds and minor landmarks he learned about. You were half paying attention, too busy looking around at everything. You caught sight of Axe leaving the group to go to a pretzel stand. You let go of Red’s hand, going over to the scarred skeleton. Red almost called out to you, but realized you were just going to Axe.

“You want one,” Axe asked. Never saying no to food, you nodded. He grinned, handing you the pretzel he just bought and getting another one for himself. He led you away from the stand, lazily trailing behind the others. Red glanced back at you, slightly holding his hand out- a silent question if you wanted to come back. You shook your head, before nodding slightly to Axe. Red hesitated, but turned back to Boss, who was talking a mile a minute.

You and Axe ate in silence, taking in the sights around you. Your eyes settled on Axe again, looking at the spot where his head wound would be, if he wasn’t wearing the baseball cap. His eyelight flicked to you, making you snap your gaze elsewhere. He chuckled slightly.

“Wondering how a bonehead like me got hurt,” he asked, grin not quite reaching his sockets. You were silent for a moment, wondering if you should ask.

“... Your… home was bad?” You didn’t know the full story on why he- and the others- were here. You could gather that they weren’t supposed to be, but whatever Sans did caused them to be here. The grunt he gave answered your question.

“Beyond bad, kid,” he grumbled, grin vanishing completely. He slowed his pace slightly, and you did the same to stay with him.

“Beyond bad,” he mumbled, eyelight dilating slightly. His free fingers dug into the edge of his unlit socket, making you jump slightly. You, carefully, grabbed his wrist. You didn’t force him to stop, but let him know you were there.

“A- Sans-” you knew he hated being called his nickname- “look.” His eyelight snapped to you, and he slowly removed his hand from his socket. Your hand moved from his wrist, lacing your fingers with his and holding tightly.

“Scratch me if you gotta, but don’t do that,” you said, taking a note from Red. He would always say the same types of things, if you felt the need to bite at your fingers or scratch at your head when you got overwhelmed.

Axe stared you down, posture rigid but slowly relaxing. The tips of his distals dug into your skin, but you ignored it. He huffed out a laugh, picking up his pace again.

“Sorry about that. Let’s… change the subject, huh?” He went back to his pretzel, and you hummed out an agreement. You two caught up to the others, and Red eyed you worriedly. You gave him a little smile, and he seemed to relax.

The fair was just getting going when you all finally arrived. It was about noon, so people were piling in to play some games before going for lunch. Before you all got ready to go have fun, Red pulled you aside to give you your medicine, and a granola bar so you wouldn’t have to take it on an empty stomach.

“Can the hu- uh… can Missy come with brother and I for a bit,” Crooks asked excitedly. He would, sometimes, forget that you weren’t a human while you were in your human form. Honestly, you found it cute.

Red hesitated, looking at you. You grinned, hopping slightly at the idea. As much as you loved Red, you didn’t have too many chances to hang out with the other two. The guys didn’t like you to go out into the woods, and Axe and Crooks never really visited the cabin.

Red relented, saying he was gonna go hang out in the picnic area for a bit, then. He pulled out his wallet, handing some money to Axe.

“For her to spend on the games,” Red explained as Boss took off towards the little shooting games. Axe pocketed the money, keeping it separate from his own. When the exchange was done, Crooks grabbed your hand again, as well as his brother’s, and began dragging you off.

You laughed as Axe stumbled, socket going wide as he almost face planted. Axe gave you a faux glare as Crooks apologized. The short skeleton shrugged it off, laughing a little at his flustered brother.

The first game you three stopped at was a balloon-popping game. Crooks stepped up first, posing proudly when he got his darts.

“The magnificent Papyrus won’t miss a single shot,” he declared, tossing the first dart. He missed. Crooks paused, before re-posing.

“The magnificent Papyrus will miss a couple shots!” You giggled, making his crooked smile widen. He did miss a few, but won a small teddy bear. Axe stepped up to the counter, paying for some darts.

“Watch and learn, bro,” Axe grinned, picking up the first one. He didn’t miss a single shot, earning him a large rabbit that served as a backpack. He, promptly, passed the rabbit to you. You hugged it, but gave him a questioning glance. Axe shrugged, starting to lead you three to another game.

“I ain’t gonna have a place for it- figured your little house out back could use a roommate.” The sentiment made you purr slightly. You missed the way the sound made Axe’s cheekbones dust a soft blue.

Crooks stopped by a strength-testing game. He looked up at the bell on the end in determination, paying for a chance to swing the hammer.

“Go on, jangles,” the vampire running the game said, handing over the hammer. Crooks grunted, slamming the platform as hard as possible. The loud “ding” startled the apathetic nosferatu, beady eyes widening in shock.

“Uh… pick a prize,” she said, pointing to the highest rack. He picked out a large alien plush, presenting it to you proudly.

“I wanted to get you something to remember today, as well, friend!” You stared at the two plushes, your own soul filling with determination. You handed the two to Crooks, before Asking Axe for the two dollars needed to play. Axe grinned, handing your money over- which you promptly handed to the woman. She snorted.

“Go for it, sweetie.” You gave out what could only be classified as a war cry, bashing the platform as hard as you could. The bell sounded loudly, and Crooks cheered for you. You grabbed a donut-patterned pillow, before handing it to Axe. He seemed surprised to get the gift.

“Like to sleep. You get a big pillow.” He let out a little laugh, taking the pillow.

“Thanks, kid.” You nodded, before looking at Crooks. You pointed at him sternly, making him straighten up.

“Find prize you want. Will get.” Your tone didn’t give him a chance to argue against it, so he simply gave a flustered “okay-”, before you pushed him down the path. You took your toys back, letting Crooks lead the way. Axe looked at you, then Crooks, before looking at his new pillow. He grinned slightly, slipping it over his head and letting it hang over his shoulders.

Crooks finally found a prize he wanted- an oversized set of sunglasses.

“With sunglasses that big, I’ll be extra cool!” You agreed, looking at the booth in question. A game of knock ‘em down. The milk bottles were stacked evenly, and the tired Emthrall behind the counter handed you the balls quietly when you paid for them.

You hefted one of the balls into your hand, feeling the weight. Heavier than it should be. Grunting, you chucked it at the first stack. You didn’t miss the ball, and bottles, glowing a slight blue upon impact. You glanced at Axe, but he was looking at his phone. Crooks wasn’t the type to cheat, either. Hm…

You threw ball number two. Again, the bottles and ball glowed slightly. The Emthrall didn’t seem to notice, too confused as to how you were knocking them down so easily. Stack number three came down the same way, allowing you to get two prizes. You picked out matching pairs of shades, handing Crooks’ preferred one to him. You both wore your glasses proudly, making Axe snort.

“You two look cool as hell,” he said, making you giggle. Crooks wore his glasses proudly, somehow procuring tape to make sure the giant shades stay on his head. The guy was… prepared for anything, you suppose. Your shades sat on your head, your hat keeping them from falling off. You held your toys in one arm, the other wrapped around Crooks’ as you all walked along.

You all, finally, arrived at the picnic area. Red already bought you some hotdogs and fries for lunch, and he was halfway through his own food. Boss was eating a sandwich and some chips he had brought with him. Axe and Crooks went to go buy their lunches, and you took your seat next to Red. He eyed your gifts with a grin.

“Games goin’ well?” You nodded, starting to eat. You told him about the prizes you won for Axe and Crooks, and how you obtained your own. Red seemed a bit skeptical as to why Axe got you the rabbit, but he didn’t question it.

Crooks and Axe rejoined you, sitting on the other side of the table. The five of you ate happily, Red, Axe, and Crooks having their own conversations. You glanced at Boss, who was on your other side, to see why he was so quiet. He was staring intently at his food, not eating the other half of his sandwich as he thought.

Finally, he pulled out a small jewelry set- a mood ring and necklace. He shoved them towards you, startling you slightly. When you looked at him questioningly, he huffed.

“I won them in one of those pitiful shooting booths. I won’t use them, so you can keep them, mongrel.” The insulting nickname held no bite to it anymore, and the way he was half-mumbling made it sound endearing.

You snickered slightly, making him flush angrily, and put the necklace and ring on. Boss went back to eating, satisfied with the exchange. Red laughed from your other side, before pushing a small box towards you. You frowned slightly.

“Already got me the dress.” “Yeah, and I was playin’ some games while waiting on you guys. Figured you’d like some toys.” Looking into the box, you saw some small toys. A slinky, some squishy animals and stress balls, and a couple containers of fart putty.

Immediately, you pulled out the putty and began to make fart noises. Axe and Red cracked up, while Crooks sighed and Boss yelled.

“Do you HAVE to do that while we EAT,” Boss barked as you laughed. Giggling, you put the toys away in the rabbit-pack, thanking Red for the gifts. You all went back to eating, falling into easy conversations and jokes.

When lunch was over, Red and Boss stole you away from the other two.

“We wanna take her to the funhouse,” Red explained when Crooks visibly deflated. Crooks almost asked to come with, but Axe patted his back.

“Funhouse is gonna be crowded, bro. Don’t wanna get stuck in there. We can go later.” Crooks, reluctantly, agreed. You all parted ways, waving to Crooks and promising to see him later. Faintly, you heard Axe suggest getting more food. Guess he was still hungry.

The funhouse did, indeed, have a good amount of people filing in and out of it. You shuffled closer to the brothers, Red patting your back in response.

“You’ll like it- come on.” You were led inside. You were immediately relieved to be out of the sun. The hat and sunscreen protects you from the damaging effects, but you still feel weak being out in the sunlight for too long.

The funhouse had silly mirrors all over that had the little kids around cackling. Red led you over to the nearest mirror. When you looked into it, you let out a wheezy laugh.

Red was even shorter than usual, and you were also squished down to a dumb height. When Boss walked up next to you, you shrieked in laughter. The tall, imposing skeleton was smooshed down to Red’s original height. Hands on his hips, he glared at his reflection, only causing you to cackle harder. Red couldn’t help but snicker. Boss rolled his eyes, but you were sure he found it somewhat amusing, too.

“Yes, yes, we’re like bugs now- can we move on,” Boss said, instinctively grabbing your hand and pulling you along. You stumbled slightly, and Red just had a ‘hello?’ look on his face. When Boss realized what he’s done, he let your hand go as if it was scorching hot.

“Will you two get a move on,” Boss yelled, cheekbones tinted bright red. You snickered, reaching out and wrapping your arm around his. He tensed up, eyelights flicking to your linked arms. A harsh frown etched into his face, hiding his flustered state.

“Will you release me, woman,” he huffed. You grinned at him, long fangs peeking out of your lips.

“No.” He paused, not expecting you to say no. He was about to say something, but your determined grin made the words die in his non-existent throat. He sighed, looking ahead again and beginning to walk. You heard Red snort from your other side.

“Fine. But I won’t be slowing down for you,” Boss growled. You giggled, following him through the paths.

The end of the funhouse was a mirror maze. The sight of it, for some reason, made a swell of anxiety build within your chest. Your grip on Boss’s arm tightened, making him glance at you. He let out a huff through his nasal passage, beginning to lead you through the maze.

“Come on- let’s hurry and get out of this babybones building.” You looked back towards Red, who caught sight of your slowly-slitting pupils. He straightened up slightly, moving to your free side. He grabbed your hand, letting you dig your claws into the back of his bones.

Too closed in. Everywhere you looked you just saw your panicked stare. Too many reflections. Too many people. You couldn’t breathe.

You stopped in your tracks, causing the boys to stop as well. Red and Boss exchanged a look.

“... I can get out by myself,” Boss mumbled, pulling his arm out of your grip. You chittered anxiously, about to reach out to grab him again. You couldn’t let go of him- he’d get lost-.

“Hey, Missy.” You looked to Red. The smaller skeleton grabbed your free hand, holding both tightly. You looked back to Boss, who was already walking down the path. You whined loudly. Boss paused, before continuing on.

“Look at me.” You turned back to Red. “Try and breathe. I’m getting you outta here, okay? Boss can get out by himself.” You were about to protest, before Red slowly pulled you closer. For a moment, you felt weightless again. Your chest felt heavy, but it didn’t hurt like last time.

When you felt normal again, you were at the entrance of the funhouse. Red led you over to a bench, sitting you down and dropping next to you.

“Breathe. You’re out in the open.” You looked around. The sun was a harsh relief on your skin, reminding you that you’re not in the tight maze. Kids and their parents walked around, laughing and holding toys. The smell of funnel cakes and hot dogs slowly brought you back out of your panic.

“Boss-.” “He’ll be fine. He’s been through his fair share of mazes.” You weren’t convinced but, realistically, you knew Boss could get out. You took a deep breath, trying to calm down. As you looked around the area, just trying to completely ground yourself, you spotted an ice cream stand. The dog brain in you immediately went into high gear.

“... Can… I have some ice cream,” you asked hesitantly. Red was quiet, glancing over at the stand across from you guys. He let out a disbelieving snort, shaking his head with a laugh.

“Yeah, alright, you can have some ice cream. You deserve it.” He stood, holding his hand out for you. You grabbed it, standing and following him to the stand.

When Boss rejoined you, finding your mouth covered in ice cream and almost dripping onto your toys, he sighed. He sat on the bench next to you, waiting on you both to finish your ice cream.

“You’re a handful,” he muttered to you, but the words held no malice. You smiled slightly, leaning against him. He tensed up, an odd growl coming from his rib cage, but didn’t move.

“Am your handful.” “Oh shut it.”


	18. Long Way Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3:30 am counts as Saturday, I've decided.
> 
> You can contact me at itsthesinbin.tumblr.com!

The last day of vacation. A bit of a sad one, as it ended up raining while you guys were on the way to hang out at the beach for a bit longer. Papyrus, Crooks, and Blue, seeing your slight pout, took it upon themselves to show you a good time.

Which is why you all invaded the nearest arcade/restaurant combo. Your cars were outside, and your things were already packed and in the vehicle, so you all decided to have a big lunch and play some games.

You were, currently, watching Papyrus and Blue go at the dancing game nearby. Boss was close to them, waiting to challenge the victor. Sans was sitting in a racing game car, having lost a while ago but fell asleep in the little car. Axe had pulled out a marker and wrote some… less than polite words on Sans’ forehead and cheeks. You really hope it wasn’t permanent marker.

Stretch and Red sat with you, and Crooks was coming back with his and Axe’s food. He called his brother, only to reprimand him for what he did to Sans. Stretch had rolled his eyes, while Red found it hilarious.

You sat around and ate, talking amongst yourselves while you listened to Papyrus and Blue laugh, and Boss taunting each of them in turn. You heard Blue wail in defeat, and Papyrus laughing victoriously.

“Alright, babybones, move out of the way. It’s my turn.” Blue glared at Boss- as did Stretch- before grumbling and coming over to the table. Blue sat next to you, having claimed the seat when you guys came in. Stretch gave him his food, and he started to eat.

Muffled yelling caught your attention, and you turned towards the door. You caught the silhouette of a large woman stomping towards the door, before it was thrown open. Rain poured outside, and dripped off the large woman and her smaller companion.

“FUCK,” the tall woman screeched, startling everyone in the area. Sans snorted awake, falling out of his little car. Stretch choked on his fries, making Blue pat his back. Papyrus tripped over his own foot, causing Edge to win their game.

“HA! I win, Creampuff!” “No fair! I fell-.” The woman perked up, immediately charging towards the noise. The small lizard monster tried to follow, stammering after her.

“PAPYRUS!” “UNDYNE!” The two monsters screamed in joy, hugging each other tightly. The lizard monster smiled tiredly, only to jump when Sans appeared next to her.

“Hey, Alph.” She let out a startled snort, covering her mouth.

“Uh… Sans…” She pulled out a small mirror, showing him the crude things Axe wrote onto his face. His grin disappeared, and he glared at Red. Red held his hands up.

“Not me, Vanilla. Try horror show over there,” Red laughed, jabbing a thumb at a smug-looking Axe. Sans grumbled, going to the bathroom to wipe it off.

“That wasn’t nice, brother,” Crooks scolded. Axe just shrugged, going back to his food. Papyrus brought his friend over to the tables, and you took her appearance in. Dark blue scales and a large, deep red fin tied up like hair. Her sharp teeth poked over her lips, much like yours did. She was really pretty. You felt really gay in that moment.

“The whole freak show is here, huh?” Axe grunted nearby, choosing to ignore Undyne. He got up, going to the bathroom as well. Crooks eyed him nervously, but didn’t follow.

“Yes! As well as our newest addition, that you haven’t met yet!” He gestured to you. You looked at the two tall monsters, mouth full of burger and eyes wide in slight confusion. Yes Hello Can You Help Them????

“This is our vampire friend- Missy!” “Right, right!” She grinned down at you as you swallowed your food. She reached over, holding a hand out for a handshake. Her enthusiasm made you smile, and you shook her hand nervously. She had a strong grip, and jerked your arm a little. God, she was hot.

“Nice to meet ya, punk! Pap’s told me a lot about you,” she said, letting you go to wrap an arm around said skeleton’s neck. He yelped, struggling a little.

“PLEASE don’t headlock the skeleton!” She gave him a noogie, and he screeched to be let go. She released the poor guy, making him stumble back.

“Anyway, I’m Undyne- this is my girlfriend, Alphys!” The small lizard waved in greeting, and you nodded in return.

“Am Missy.” You know Papyrus introduced you, but you wanted to say it, yourself. Undyne grinned, before telling Alphys she was gonna go order food for them. The fish woman took off to the register, and Alphys took a seat that Papyrus pulled out for her. Sans emerged from the restroom, taking a seat next to Alphys. The other side was left open- for Undyne, you assumed.

You kept quiet, listening to Sans and Alphys talk about some projects they, apparently, have been working on. Is that where Sans goes when he says he has work? You’ll have to ask, later.

When Undyne returns, she and Papyrus are immediately went into their own conversation. The two ended up eating quickly, before heading into the arcade again to play games. Alphys sighed slightly, a fond smile on her face as she watched Undyne immediately gravitate towards a fighting game. She roped Papyrus into it, the two getting into an intense, yet friendly, competition.

You finished your food, letting the skeletons talk with each other, and your new friends. When you get up finally, you go over to Papyrus and Undyne to watch their game.

“So, how’re you liking living with the squad,” Undyne asks suddenly. You didn’t realize she was talking to you at first, until she turns her head enough to look at you with her good eye.

“Oh- yes. Everyone is… really helpful. Really nice.” You smiled slightly. Undyne caught sight of the smile, and matched it with a wide grin of her own.

“Good! I doubt any of these guys would treat you bad, but if they do, you call me! I’ll knock some sense into ‘em,” she said, patting your back hard enough to knock you forward. You laughed slightly, a little flustered.

A little while later, Sans said it was time to head home. You all said goodbye to Alphys and Undyne. Undyne and Papyrus had an emotional goodbye, even though you were pretty sure they’d see each other in, like, a couple weeks, at most.

You all piled into your respective cars. You drove here with Papyrus, Sans, Blue, and Stretch. Now, you’re gonna be riding home with the other four. You were buckled in between Red and Crooks. Boss wouldn’t let anyone drive his car, and Red didn’t want you to be in the back without someone who could help you in case you had an episode, due to the roof being closed for the rain.

The drive home was kind of slow, thanks to traffic. People were on their way home, or coming into the beach for some late beach fun before the warm weather ends. Dark clouds hung over you all, trickling rain onto the windows and windshield.

You leaned against Red’s side, looking at some youtube video he had pulled up to entertain you both on the drive home. You giggled a couple times, and Red had a lazy grin on his face. When he suddenly got a call, it startled you enough to jump away from him. He snorted as Crooks’ hands grasped your shoulders.

“Are you alright, friend,” Crooks asked as Red answered the call. You nodded, patting the large skeleton’s hand. He released you, leaving you to glance over at Red during his conversation.

He was getting slowly more frustrated, grin fading into an annoyed scowl. Abe’s name came up in the conversation, making you perk up. Did something happen to Abe and Ordelia?

He finally hung up, running a hand down his face. Hesitantly, you put a hand on his arm. When he glanced at you, he relaxed at your worried expression. He didn’t want to worry you like that.

“... Alright, uh… Abe isn’t… gonna be able to be your therapist, anymore.” Your face fell. You were actually starting to like him and Ordelia. You whined slightly, making Red sigh.

“Missy, you gotta remember- he’s not actually a therapist. He was just until Arle could find an actual therapist for you. They couldn't… find anyone else other than Sylvi.” You whined louder. You’ve… become a little friendlier with Sylvi, now that you’ve been going with Red to get your medicine refilled, but… you were still skeptical of her.

“I’ll talk to Arle about seeing if they can try again. For now, though, we gotta have Sylvi around.” You were quiet, fiddling with the hem of your shirt angrily.

“... What about Ordelia?” “Arle said Ordelia insisted she stay. She said it’d be dangerous if she wasn’t around you.” You swallowed slightly, wondering if Ordelia was serious about it being dangerous, or just lying to keep her place as your rehabilitator. You decided you didn’t really want to know. You were just grateful Ordelia, at least, could stay.

The ride was fairly quiet after that. You were upset, and Red didn’t know how to comfort you on something you felt was unfair, but needed. Crooks tried to play some car games, but your heart wasn’t in it. Axe was busy on his phone, and Boss decided to keep out of whatever was going on in the backseat.

It was night by the time you all returned. You had stopped at a buffet place for dinner, and everyone was eager to get into their beds and sleep. Even Papyrus and Blue were ready to relax.

You all piled out of your cars, stretching while some of the skeletons got to work bringing the bags inside. Axe and Crooks said goodbye to you, taking their luggage and heading to their shack. You helped Red grab your things, walking around to the back of the house to your little shelter.

You’ve long since gotten a doorway and door onto your shelter, allowing a little more privacy. The boys said they were working on making an actual room for you in the house, but honestly? You liked living out here. It was just the right amount of private, while still being close enough to go to someone if you needed help.

You set your things inside, dropping into your makeshift bed. You were almost asleep when you heard someone walking closer. A knock on the door had you grunting in reply, sitting up as they opened the door. Red’s eyelights greeted you in the dark, and you turned on the small light they had installed. He sat in the doorway of your shelter, hunched over slightly.

“... I’m sorry I couldn’t convince Arle to keep Abe around. I know you liked the guy.” Is that why Red’s been so wound up? You didn’t even think about it- you thought he was upset because of Sylvi.

“... Am… going to miss him, but… will put up with Sylvi. Know I need to.” He chuckled slightly.

“At least I don’t have to try and explain that you have to. I would’ve hated to get into an argument with you right after our vacation.” You crawled over, sitting next to him. You leaned your head onto his shoulder. It was a bit uncomfortable, due to the height difference, but the subtle churring noise that came from him was worth it.

“Maybe she’ll help with your speech, too. You gotta get that in check, doll.” Your cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

“... Am-... I’m trying. I… it’s hard.” He smiled, patting your back comfortingly.

“Yeah, I know it’s hard. I’m proud of what you’ve got down now. We just… gotta get you to work on proper sentences.” You huffed jokingly.

“‘Kay, dad.” He rolled his eyes, letting you sit up and move back to your bed.

“When Sylvi does finally come for the first session, don’t tune her out like you did with Abe, okay? Give her a chance.” You grunted slightly, moving to change into your pajamas. Red turned back to say something, only to get a socket-full of bare ass. He covered his eye sockets, cheekbones bright red as he stood. He turned back to the door with a shake of his head.

“Who knows? Maybe she’ll get better, now that you can actually talk to her.” You doubted it, but didn’t say that.

“Night, little Missy,” he yawned, closing your door. You said a quick goodnight before he left, letting him shut the door behind him as he headed back to the house. You slipped into your pjs, flopping onto your bed with a tired huff.

You weren’t excited about working with Sylvi. Something gnawed at your gut, when you thought about it.

As you laid there, trying to sleep, your hyperactive ears hear something moving outside. You sat up quickly, peeking out of one of the windows. Nothing odd, at first.

There. You spotted some bushes move, and heard quick, quiet footsteps running off. Your pupils slit due to your spiking anxiety.

Calm down, you told yourself. It was probably just an animal. An animal you could take down, should it try to invade your territory.

You grabbed your stuffed bat, and blanket, and made your way to the house, anyway. You were too tired to fight anything. And the boys wouldn’t mind if you crashed on the couch- they always said you were free to do so, anytime.

You think you’ll just… play it safe, for now. You locked the back door behind you, heading for the couch.

You could hear the guys snoring upstairs, and that put you at ease. Despite your previous anxiety, you were asleep in minutes. You were safe with them. You’d always be safe.

Maybe, you thought, you’ll start to think about actually living in the house, instead.


	19. You Know Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :^)

You were NOT looking forward to today. It was therapy day, and that meant Sylvi was on her way. While you were on an acquaintance level with her, you didn’t really want to spend… over an hour with her.

At… least Ordelia was also coming. You liked Ordelia- she was fun and nice.

You were, nervously, bouncing your leg while you sat on the couch. Stretch, curled up on the other side of the couch with his sudoku, glanced up at you every now and then. When you finally noticed and caught his eye, he raised a brow ridge.

“Somethin’ wrong?” You were quiet, feeling a little silly over getting so nervous about this. Thankfully, Stretch knew what was going on. He sat up a little, putting the book down.

“Don’t worry- you got everyone here. I’m sure Red’s gonna be listening in, like he usually does. He’ll make sure nothing happens.” You let out a flustered, anxious chitter. Stretch gave you a smile, before going back to his puzzle book.

The doorbell rang after a while, causing you to jump. Stretch chuckled a bit, getting up to answer the door. Faintly, you heard Red’s door open. He didn’t come down, but you knew it was open. He could hear everything from downstairs. That helped put you at ease, just a little.

“Hey, there, miss Sylvi.” “Oh, please just call me Sylvi! I don’t think we’ve met properly.” Stretch and Sylvi exchanged pleasantries. He said hello to Ordelia, before letting the women in. Ordelia was dressed up like she usually was- like the Oracle people claimed her to be. Sylvi was dressed like a grandmother- even accessorizing with a container of cookies. She held the container out to Stretch, who took it with a curious look.

“I made a large batch for a friend, and made extra for you all, since I’d be coming today. A mix of peanut butter and fudge.” Stretch nodded his thanks, saying he’ll put them up on a plate and then give her the container back when she’s ready to leave.

“I’ll leave you ladies to it,” he smiled, bowing his head slightly before heading to the kitchen with the cookies, and his sudoku, in hand. He glanced at you as he passed, eyelights holding a look that told you he’d be listening in, as well. You definitely felt better having him, and Red, nearby.

Ordelia, as usual, took her shoes off at the door. She followed Sylvi to the furniture, sitting next to you on the couch. Sylvi sat in the recliner, eyeing Ordelia suspiciously as she grasped your hand. You don’t really know why she does it, but Ordelia’s… episodes tend to happen less when she’s near you. Unless she gets agitated. Sylvi didn’t question it, and looked up at you. You straightened up nervously.

“... I know we’ve gotten off to a bad start,” Sylvi started, folding her hands in her lap. Your grip on Ordelia’s hand tightened slightly. Man, you hated that Emthralls can see emotions.

“I know you’re scared of me- I don’t think I’d need to be able to see it to tell. I… want you to know that your worry is well-deserved. What I did, when we met, wasn’t what I should’ve done. I was panicky, as we had no backup, in case you were… aggressive.” You thought all the way back to your first meeting with her. You were starving, tired, and injured. Still, you were- and still are- huge, compared to the two Emthralls.

“I didn’t… want anyone to get hurt. At the time, in the circumstances we were in, I figured it was the safest option. While it was a safe bet to make you sleep for a while, I can see it wasn’t needed. And would’ve made things worse, for your relations with the skeletons and more, in the long run. So, my first order of business as your new therapist is to apologize.” You felt your nerves ease off slightly. While you, obviously, still didn’t like the idea, hearing her argument on why she did it- and how she’s happy her plan wasn’t actually used- made you feel… a bit better.

With how nervous you were, in general, you felt that you would… probably, at least, suggest something similar- if you were in her shoes.

“... Okay,” was all you replied with. You didn’t… quite forgive her, but… you could understand her reasoning. She seemed satisfied, though.

“Alright! That’s out of the way. Now, we can get started.” She shifted, getting into a more comfortable position. You leaned back against the couch, and Ordelia tucked her legs to the side on the couch. Sylvi pulled an envelope out of her giant purse, pulling out some papers and looking through them.

“According to Abe and Ordelia, you’ve taken fairly well to their therapy. The paperwork Abe’s filled out is very complimentary.” You felt a bit happy, knowing Abe was proud of your progress. Ordelia patted your hand with a grin.

“You’re still having problems with your speech, right?” You nodded sheepishly. She gave you an encouraging smile.

“That’s normal, don’t worry. For many ferals as far along as you were, it takes a long time for them to regain the full ability to speak.” She shuffled through a few of the papers, trying to get a footing on where to start.

“... You’re still having trouble with your memory. Can you tell me how far back you actually remember, dear?” You hesitated, tensing slightly. You really… didn’t like thinking back. Sylvi saw your apprehension.

“I know it’s hard, but… you need to acknowledge your trauma, eventually. Start slow- you don’t have to describe everything, but… we need to it the root of the problem, soon.” You whined nervously, shifting in your seat. Ordelia brought her other hand to your conjoined ones, holding it securely. Reminding you she was here. You took a breath, nodding slightly.

“... Big room,” you started. Sylvi pulled out a notepad and pen, writing down what you were talking about and how you were reacting.

“Were… others in room. Like me, but… not always vampires.” “Other ferals of different species, you mean?” You nodded your confirmation, and she gave a small head bob in return. She made a motion for you to continue, not really looking up from her pad. You swallowed.

“There were… humans. And needles and… and-” your body burned. You felt hot. Felt your face shifting slightly as your body tried to change forms.

“And…” God, your head started to hurt. You clung to Ordelia’s hand, anguished whine leaving you. Sylvi looked up, seeing the aura of emotion shine around you. Deep blues, reds, purples, and browns radiated off of you. Grief. Anger. Loathing. Fear.

Sylvi caught sight of Ordealia’s aura as well, and the lilac color that dominated shocked her. Remorse. What was going on in Ordelia’s head?

“Would… force me into bat form. Strap me down. Make me bleed,” you finally continued, voice wavering. A deep growl startled you, and your head darted towards Ordelia. Her eyes were slit, body shifted slightly to show she was, also, trying to contain her beast form.

“They will die,” Ordelia hissed, seemingly not realizing what she was doing. Sylvi put her pad down, coming over to you two.

“Ordelia- Ordelia, look at me.” The Malkavian’s glassy eyes snapped towards the Emthrall. Sylvi began eating away at both of your grief and frustration, slowly calming you both. Sylvi pried Ordelia’s hands from yours, looking at you worriedly.

“Miss… I need you to, ah… wait upstairs. Ordelia is… going through one of her episodes.” Ordelia’s episodes didn’t happen often, around you, but when they did… they were a doozy. Slowly, you went upstairs. Red was leaning on his door frame, eyeing you anxiously.

“You alright?” You nodded, sitting on the top step and listening in. You knew you shouldn’t, but when Red sat next to you, you didn’t get the idea that you’d get in trouble.

“Ordelia, you need to calm down-.” A harsh hiss came from the older vampire as she stood.

“Calm? You expect me to be calm when she was abducted?” Despite Sylvi saying this was an episode, you haven’t heard Ordelia talk so clearly in the time you’ve known her.

“The grief? The anger? You expect me to sit idly by while-” her hand slapped over her mouth, but the harsh breath she let out through her nose showed how furious she was.

“While what, Ordelia?” Silence. Ordelia slowly removed her hand, slitted eyes looking out the window. Tears filled her eyes.

“I… can’t-” she reached up, pulling at her hair angrily- “I’m not… I’m not allowed-.” She keened angrily, stomping her foot like a child. That simple action… brought back some very important memories.

You were young- about thirteen. A woman was standing in the living room of your friend’s house. You were standing behind him, small hands digging into the fur of his back nervously. She smiled, eyes glassy and smile full of needles. Despite her unsettling appearance, she was the nicest woman you’ve met in a long time.

You were older. You were a vampire. You were in so much pain, chest full of stitches. You could barely breathe, but the woman was there. Feeding you when your friend couldn’t. Giving you medicine she made, herself. She told you old stories and even older legends, keeping your mind off of the pain.

You were free. You were running into the cabin with fresh game. Your friend would be so proud. You caught sight of the woman standing in your living room, stomping her foot like a child when she learned your mutual friend lost an important book of hers. 

“Gerasimos, you… you… oh!” “Sorry, Ordelia- you should’ve known not to lend me anything,” your friend laughed. Ordelia huffed, turning away from him. Her smile returned when she saw you, greeting you with a happiness she didn’t have a moment ago.

Red shook you slightly, getting your attention. He looked at you with worry in his eyelights, reaching up to wipe your cheeks. You were crying. How long were you crying?

You looked back down towards the two arguing women. Deciding quickly, you stood and hurried down the steps. Red tried to stop you, but you were moving too fast. When you re-entered the room, they stopped fighting.

You stared at Ordelia, eyes wide and fat tears rolling down. A hiccup escaped your throat, before taking a shuddering breath.

“I know you,” you choked, moving towards Ordelia. You clutched your chest, where the wounds in your memory had resided- where the scars sit.

“You know me… Why didn’t you tell me?” Ordelia’s hands covered her mouth, her own tears flowing freely. Slowly, she moved her hands to speak.

“Pact,” was all she said. That seemed to give Sylvi all the information that Ordelia couldn’t say. Sylvi spoke up on Ordelia’s behalf, when the Malkavian gave her a pleading stare.

“Malkavians… are very literal vampires. Especially ones as… far gone as Ordelia. When they make pacts, their blood- and the mental issues that come with it- will make them follow that pact to the death. Or… until it’s broken.” Sylvi looked at Ordelia, who was staring at you.

“... Whatever… this pact is, it… must involve you.” You stared Ordelia down, sobbing angrily. You stomped towards her, making her take a step back.

“Who is Gerasimos? Where is he?” She closed her eyes, breathing shakily.

“Do not… do not ask what I cannot give you, my dear. I cannot… tell you anything.” You balled your fists, feeling yourself trying to break loose.

“Nothing? Can’t say anything? My name? Who I was?” She hung her head, covering her mouth again.

“... I… think we’re done, for the day,” Sylvi said. “We’ve made… some kind of progress. But, we’ll get nowhere with you two… like this.” She packed her things, before putting her hands on Ordelia’s arms. You tried to demand she stop- to make Ordelia tell you what she knows.

“I can’t. Once a Malkavian makes a pact, the rules of that pact is final. I can… try and talk to Ordelia, after everyone has calmed down, and see what she CAN tell me. For now… I’m sorry,” Sylvi said, whispering near the end as she lead Ordelia outside. She grabbed the woman’s shoes, leaving you crying in the middle of the living room.

You dropped to your knees, not noticing the new people in the room until Red placed a hand on your shoulder. You looked up at him and Stretch. Both of them were horribly worried. The looks on their faces made a broken sob leave you.

You covered your face with your hands, digging your fingers into your scalp as you wailed. You felt so many things at once- anger and sadness and pure, unadulterated betrayal.

“SHE KNEW THE WHOLE TIME,” you screamed, grief turning to fury. You slammed your fists onto the ground, seeing your hands turning beastial.

“She acted like nothing wrong! She let me sit- thinking she help me,” you cried, words slurring as your face sat between human and beast. Red gripped your shoulders, getting your attention.

“Missy, you gotta breathe. Look at me- LOOK at me.” You stared at him, breathing heavily.

“I’m gonna talk to Sylvi, later. I’ll get to the bottom of this, okay? Just… please. Breathe.” The tone of his voice- the worry and fear- tug at your heart. Your anger turned again, a heavy despair hanging onto your soul.

You clung to Red tightly, shaking with the force of your sobs.

God… your chest hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart!! I'm so happy people like the fic enough to create art for it!!
> 
>  
> 
> [Melodyrider's version of Missy's beast form!](https://melodyrider.tumblr.com/post/178130519164/so-ive-spent-a-good-while-trying-to-figure-out)


	20. Sweeter Than Honey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3c

You’ve been… in a less than desirable mood, since your session with Sylvi and Ordelia. Sylvi had been coming along for the extra sessions, as you and Ordelia weren’t… exactly on speaking terms. You shut out a lot of people, only really talking to Red.

Sylvi was still trying to get info out of Ordelia, but it was hard to find loopholes to a Malkavian Pact you don’t know the rules of. You barely budged, during your next sessions. Angry and upset, your progress with your therapy grinded to a halt. It was worrying everyone.

So, Stretch too the initiative. He had already talked to Red about it, and they both agreed that you getting out of the house- with someone other than Red- might help.

Stretch found you in your shelter out back, sitting in your bed and clinging to the stuffed alien Crooks got you at the little fair. He knocked on the doorway, sitting on the edge of the floor. You didn’t look at him, leaning against the back wall with your face buried in the plush.

“... Honey, say something. You’ve barely talked to anyone.” You grunted softly, finally lifting your head to look at him. You looked exhausted, and your eyes were red and irritated. Stretch’s face fell slightly, worry in his sockets, before he gave you a small smile.

“How about we get out of the house for a bit, huh? Get you something as sweet as you.” You huffed out a bitter laugh, moving to lay down with your back towards the skeleton. Stretch’s shoulders fell, but he was determined to get you out of here for a bit.

“Come on. Muffet just opened a bakery- you want some sweets?” Your head turned slightly, and he smiled. Even in your worst moods, you’d never resist food.

“Red knows where we’re going, but not what we’d be getting. Get you some chocolate, for once- not going crazy, but… Muffet makes a good chocolate cake.” Your species of vampire doesn’t react super well to chocolate, in large amounts. Even in smaller amounts, your stomach tends to mess up and you spend a while in the bathroom. Red doesn’t let you have chocolate at all, because of that.

“... Promise you won’t tell Red,” you asked quietly, voice cracking slightly from lack of use. Stretch’s grin widened.

“I promise. But you gotta come on- you don’t even have to get dressed.” You looked down at your tank, sweats, and slippers. You almost argued, but remembered that Sans and Red walk around in slippers, and Stretch always wears the same hoodie everywhere.

“... Okay.” He stood, helping you get out of your shelter. You combed your fingers through your hair, not having the energy to fully brush it. Stretch held a hand out to you, and you took it.

“Come on- I know a shortcut.” You thought back to when Red teleported you to the city. Immediately, you clung to Stretch’s torso. He let out a little laugh, patting your head.

“Guess that works, too,” he chuckled, before teleporting you two out of the yard.

Like before, your chest felt heavy. It felt… worse than last time, though, for some reason. You wheezed when the two of you appeared in an alley next to the bakery, clutching your chest and trying to breathe. Stretch’s sockets widened as he held your shoulders.

“Shit- talk to me. How’s it feel?” You coughed, straightening after a second.

“Heavy. Tight. … Getting better,” you answered, taking a deep breath as the tightness in your chest released. Stretch watched you, gauging your stance. When he deemed you were, indeed, okay, he led you out of the alley.

“Sorry about that, Honey. Should’ve realized that would’ve hurt.” Your brows furrowed, holding his hand as he led you inside.

It was a bit busy, and there was a small line, but thankfully it wasn’t too crowded. You waited in the line with Stretch, looking around at the other humans and monsters.

“... Why… does my chest hurt, when you do that,” you finally asked. He hesitated, glancing down at you, before looking ahead at the line.

“... Let’s wait ‘till we’re in a booth, okay?” You didn’t quite like the way he hesitated, but trusted him.

When you got to the counter, you saw who was running the whole show. A large, purple spider lady. Her name tag read “Muffet”, you assumed she was the one who ran the place. A couple of monsters worked in the kitchen behind her, and a human was at the second register. Muffet grinned when she saw Stretch.

“Ah, my favorite customer! Only been open a couple weeks and you’ve been loyal, my dear!” Stretch’s cheeks flushed a soft orange, and he chuckled.

“What can I say? Got a sweet tooth only you can satisfy, Muffet.” She giggled. You couldn’t help but smile- she was kind of cute, after you got past the unsettling appearance.

“Your usual?” “Yep, and a couple things for my friend- a piece of your volcano fudge cake, and a piece of the blueberry cheesecake.” She wrote down the order, accepting Stretch’s money with one of her many free hands.

“I’ll call you in a bit, dearie! Go take a seat,” she hummed. Stretch led you to a booth, letting you sit down before plopping across from you.

“Now… about the chest thing.” You sat up straighter, paying attention. He sighed.

“You know a little bit about souls, right? We talked about it before.” You nodded. They had explained what souls were, what they represented in terms of colors, and how they differed between humans, surface monsters, and Underground monsters.

“Well… sometimes, souls can get… injured. It’s usually due to heavy emotional, and physical, trauma. Injured souls are very reactive towards magic. The heavy feeling you get when we teleport you? That’s common.” Your hand clutched your tank, above your chest. Injured soul?

“Your soul… is full of fractures. They’re definitely healing, thanks to being with us, but… it’s not healthy, by any means. A fully fractured soul makes a monster go crazy.” He thought for a moment, looking at the spot you were holding.

“Come to think of it… that seems like it could be the cause of “ferals”. Surface monsters don’t know about souls, so they only think it’s the mind that gets messed up,” he said, tapping the side of his skull for emphasis.

Huh… that… made sense, actually. You released your chest, thinking it over. If that was true… no wonder your chest hurt so bad, this time. You were upset. It must’ve agitated the fractures.

Stretch’s name was called, and he went to go get your desserts. When he returned, he put your plates in front of you. The lava cake dripped with hot fudge, and was covered in vanilla ice cream. The cheesecake had so many blueberries you couldn’t see the top of the treat, and had syrup pooling around it. Both also had whipped cream, and the lava cake had chocolate sprinkles.

Oh, you were going to regret this later. For now, though, you were going to inhale the lava cake. Stretch laughed, placing a glass of cider next to your plates, before sitting across from you. You looked at his plate, seeing baklava drenched in extra honey. You wrinkled your nose slightly- that was so MUCH- but didn’t say anything. You two ate in relative silence, the only noise being your delighted purring.

Stretch smiled slightly as he watched you. It’s been a while since you looked so happy. Not that he could blame you- suddenly having that bomb dropped on you would make anyone wanna shut themselves up somewhere. He was just glad he could make you happy- take your mind off of it- for a little bit.

You looked up, noticing him staring at you. You slowed down, mouth full of the last of your lava cake. You had hot fudge and whipped cream around your mouth, and Stretch couldn’t help but think it was adorable. He laughed, grabbing a napkin out of the holder and handing it to you.

“You got a little-” he motioned to the entire area around his mouth. You swallowed your food, cheeks flushing as you wiped the food off of your face. You put the napkin to the side, for now, then dug into the blueberry cheesecake. You snorted slightly, making Stretch raise a brow ridge.

“Even when just us, Blue still here,” you joked, raising the blueberry-covered dessert for him to see. Stretch snickered, shaking his head a little.

“Bro’s always with me, so that’s no surprise,” he laughed, going back to his baklava. You two sat there for a moment, simply eating, before you spoke up again.

“... Thanks.” He glanced up, silently asking why you were thanking him. You picked at the berries on the cheesecake, cheeks dusted a faint pink.

“For… bringing me here. Helping. I been- I’ve been… d… dif… harsh,” you sighed, stumbling over your words. You knew you’ve been angry, and snappy, since the whole… incident. Stretch waved a hand, shaking his head.

“We’ve all been trying to figure out some way to get you out of your funk, Honey. I’m glad it helped, but you don’t have to thank me. I’m happy to help you.” You felt a bit flustered at the sweet way he said it, opting to shove a piece of cheesecake into your mouth.

“Still,” you mumbled, mouth full. You didn’t elaborate, making him chuckle. He finished up his baklava, downing the rest of his drink. He watched her eat for a moment, before he looked around the room.

Monsters and humans were enjoying Muffet’s baking. Little spiders were in the corners, probably acting as security cameras. Larger ones cleaned nearby tables, and carried dishes to the kitchen to be washed. You watched, in awe, when a large group of spiders shambled by with some plates and cups. Stretch couldn’t help but snort at your expression.

He went back to people watching, but his eyelights settled on some people outside. They looked shifty, hurrying across the street toward the bakery. They lingered outside, one of them pulling out a cigarette to smoke. What the hell were they waiting for?

You finished your food, stretching slightly. Stretch’s gaze snapped back to you. He watched you wipe your face off, then he glanced back at the people. He stood.

“Stay here for a sec, honey. I gotta go tell Muffet something, then we can go.” You nodded, sipping your cider while he walked to the counter. He stood off to the side of the counter, waiting for Muffet to get a small break. She came over to him, concern in her eyes when she saw his serious expression.

“What’s wrong, dearie? Something wrong with the food?” He shook his head quickly.

“No, no- food was great, as always. Just…” He glanced at the windows again, seeing the people outside. They were currently glancing around, but were definitely paying attention to the inhabitants of the cafe.

“Those two are suspicious- they hurried across the street and just started standing there. Just… keep a few hundred eyes on ‘em,” Stretch said. Muffet looked at the two people discreetly, before nodding. 

“I will, dear. Also-” she reached behind the counter, pulling out a couple large boxes- “your brother called ahead, ordering spider donuts for the house. Mind taking these home with you?” He sighed. Someone must’ve let it slip that he was going to Muffet’s. Blue never got enough of her donuts. He took the boxes from her many hands with a small, exasperated smile.

“Sure, Muffet.” “There’s also a smaller box hidden in there of your baklava. Free of charge.” He snorted.

“I could marry you right now.” She giggled, waving a hand to send him off.

“Oh, hush, before my girlfriend hears you! Now hurry home- and be careful!” He chuckled, heading back to your booth. You gave him a curious stare when you saw the boxes.

“Blue caught wind of me being here and ordered donuts.” You couldn’t help but giggle, following him out. He held the boxes with one hand, wrapping the other around your shoulders. His grip was oddly tight. You frowned slightly, looking up at him as you opened the door.

He led you down the street, walking a bit faster than he should be. You looked up at him, seeing his mouth set in a hard line.

“I don’t want to scare you,” he started, voice quiet, “but there’s two people following us. Don’t. Look at them.” You tensed up slightly, trying not to show it. You listened closely, hearing footsteps matching your pace behind you.

“Stretch-.” “We’re gonna go into the alleyway. I’m gonna teleport you home. I need you to be ready for the heavy feeling, because I don’t want to risk trying to walk home, or get an Uber. Okay?” You gave a quiet confirmation, reaching up to grip the hand on your shoulder. He held your hand just as tightly, trying to keep you calm.

Stretch led you into the alley, getting ready to transport you two home. Knowing you’d be back home quickly, you took a stupid glance at the two behind you.

They hurried into the mouth of the alley, catching you two in the act. Your eyes widened, blood turning to ice and breath catching in your throat. Memories flooding back- two women with shock batons standing near your restrained form, looking over the notes in your file. Rolling their eyes as your roared. The patches on their shirts- the ones glaring at you from afar, right now- will forever be embedded into your mind.

The last you saw of them was the taller woman reaching into her coat, before the heavy feeling in your chest returned.


	21. You Are Never Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will I ever stop? No. I won't stop. 
> 
> An oc of mine is name-dropped in here, and will show up in the nnnnext chapter? Yeah, next chapter.

Everything was too bright. White walls, fluorescent lights, and people in white coats. You could smell singed fur from where the shock batons were used just moments ago. Strapped down to a table, you couldn’t look around. Only forward, and slightly to the side, as people walked around you. You felt yet another needle drive into your skin, drawing blood.

“... Nothing like I’ve ever seen,” one of the men muttered. A woman with a shock baton glance at him, then at the monitors next to him. What the hell are you going on about?

“This vampire is… was sired by one of the Old Ones. We’re getting close to finding them. Find out where this one was picked up- specimen Alpha-two-one.” The woman nodded, handing her baton to someone else before leaving the room.

The man turned to you, a sadistic grin on his face. Weakly, you struggled against your binds.

“The holy grail- right in front of us.”

You woke up with a scream.

Frantically, you looked around. You were in the skeleton’s living room, but you were just waiting for it all to fall away. To be back in the white and the light and-.

“Woah, what’s going on-” Sans stumbled from the kitchen, sockets wide and full of worry. Your gaze snapped to him, and he could see that you weren’t all there yet. He held his hands up.

“Breathe, kid. You’re alright. You’re at home- with me. Red’s upstairs. Everyone’s upstairs.” Slowly, he walked over. Your panting began to calm slightly, but you were still disoriented. He sat near you on the couch, holding a hand out for you. You stared for a moment, before grabbing it with a shaky hand.

Sans allowed you to simply hold his hand- feel the bones under your skin- to ground you. You tended to do that with the others, but with different things. Red was his furred hood. Stretch was the fabric of his hoodie, as you tended to cling to him, since he was taller. Blue let you feel around his cheekbones. Sans, simply, was his hands.

“Better, kid?” You were unresponsive for a moment, before you gave him a small nod. Visibly, he relaxed. He leaned back against the couch, scooting a bit closer so he didn’t have to stretch his arm so much.

“... You wanna talk about it?” You paused in your movements, hands tensing around his fingers and palm. He glanced over, seeing the vacant look in your eye return.

Then, tears fell. He wasn’t expecting those.

“We, uh… don’t gotta, if you don’t want to,” he said quickly, a flustered blush creeping up to his cheekbones. You hesitated, looking down at the blanket around your legs.

“... Stretch… told you ‘bout Muffet’s?” His face turned serious. He nodded. After the incident at Muffet’s, he alerted everyone in the house about what happened. To keep a lookout for anyone lurking around the property.

“... Knew them,” you muttered, making Sans perk up. You didn’t talk about your past to anyone- aside from Sylvi. The guys would be lying if they said they weren’t curious.

“From… place I was before. Guards. Kept… kept me in check.” You wrapped your arms around yourself, trying to breathe through the anxiety. Sans’ permagrin grew strained, and his sockets turned down- as if he was frowning.

“... Wh… where did you come from, kid,” Sans finally asked, after a long silence. He saw your fingers dig into the flesh of your arms, but didn’t make you pull your hands away. No blood, no problem.

“... Monster hunters,” you answered. “Hate… us. Think we kill humans.” You held yourself tighter.

“Study us. Learn how to kill us.” Sans felt his non-existent stomach drop. He began to sweat slightly, running a hand over his skull.

“Didn’t… think there was anything like that, up here. Everyone seemed pretty accepting, after a while.” You paused, looking at him.

“... How long have monsters been out- like… us, and you.” Sans was taken back back the question. Everyone knew about this, by now, right?

“... We came out from under the mountain about five years ago. The head honchos exposed surface monsters about six months after that…” He lowered his hands, looking at you worriedly.

“Missy… how long were you in that place?” You hiccuped, rubbing the tears away.

“I don’t know. Don’t know… much… before I escaped. All of it… fuzzy.” Abe- and Sylvi- explained that you, unconsciously, blocked out the memories of the facility, and the full amnesia was due to trauma. It still pissed you off, though.

“Monsters… not out, though. Know that much.” You fiddled with the blanket, sniffling slightly. Sans was quiet for a moment, before standing.

“C’mon, kid. I got an idea that’ll calm you down.” He held a hand out, waiting for you to follow. Slowly, you grabbed his hand and got off of the couch. You held your stuffed bat and blanket, shuffling after the short skeleton.

First, he took you to the kitchen. He used his magic to open the freezer and pull out a couple of pints of ice cream, as well as some spoons. Two pints of strawberry cheesecake ice cream. He also nabbed two water bottles, before taking you upstairs.

The stairs to the attic were already pulled down. The light shining from his socket illuminated the dark attic, as well as the open hatch to the roof.

He stepped onto the roof first, helping you out afterwards. A blanket was already set out up here. You sat down on the flat part of the roof, giving a questioning glance to Sans. He grinned, closing the hatch. You wrapped your blanket around yourself as Sans floated a pint, bottle, and spoon to you. You took the items, and he sat next to you.

“Pap and I built the house with this in mind,” he said, starting to eat his ice cream. You did the same, listening to him talk.

“We both liked to watch the stars- and the clouds- we when we had our own place built, we made a little deck to sit out on. Well… not really a deck. Just a flat piece of roof,” he snorted. You noticed he only mentioned Papyrus.

“... Before the others?” His eye lights dimmed slightly, and he looked down. He nodded, though.

“Yeah… before the others. Didn’t even know they existed until a year later.” You were quiet as Sans looked back up at the stars. His shoulders slumped.

“... How did… everyone get here,” you asked quietly. He didn’t answer for the longest time. You were worried you made him angry, or upset. Finally, he sighed.

“I… fucked up real bad, kid. A… long time ago, I lost someone… real close to me. He was… sent to a place that… doesn’t exist, I suppose is the best way to put it.” He didn’t look at you, still staring at the twinkling lights peeking out through the thin clouds. The moon shone brightly, and faintly you could hear the howls of distant werewolves. You didn’t know if Sans could hear it, but it made you glance around nervously.

“I thought… with all the stuff he taught me, I could find a way to bring him back. Pull him back into our world. But… instead, I ripped them from their timelines. The machine is stable, but I can’t… figure out how to put them back. If they want to go back,” he said, looking off towards Axe’s shack.

“... What… is his name?” The question seemed to catch him off-guard.

“... Gaster. Wingdings Gaster. The monster that doesn’t exist.” His smile was tired.

“You’d like him. He’s a nervous man- someone like you would’ve helped him, just like he’d have helped you.” You brought your knees up, eyebrows furrowing with worry.

“What… was he to you? Just friend?” “... Our dad.” The answer was quiet, but you were able to catch it. You were shocked.

“We got an uncle, too- Webdings Tahoma. He’s… actually supposed to visit, soon. He’s the… only other one to remember Gaster. The accident just… erased him from everyone’s memory. Even… Papyrus doesn’t remember.” You felt tears slip down your face. Sans looked over, when you were quiet, and his sockets widened when he saw you crying.

“Aw, geez, kid- I’m sorry. Shouldn’t have dumped that on you when you weren’t feeling great-.” You shook your head.

“I… I’m happy you… trust me with this, Sans. I’m… sorry you have to deal with this.” You reached over, grabbing his hand tightly.

“Can… talk to me, if you need to. May not know Gaster, but… know how it feels to forget someone important. To-” you thought to Ordelia- “... know about someone you can’t really talk to. If… that makes sense.” He paused, processing the words. He smiled slightly, chuckling to himself. He looked back up at the stars.

“You sure you ain’t the one helping us, kid?” You grew a little flustered at the implication, but smiled nonetheless. You scooted closer to the skeleton.

“Two way street,” you said, making him snort.

“Yeah, I guess that’s true.” You two fell into a comfortable silence, watching the stars. Sans pointed out a couple constellations he could find, and you simply nodded along like you’d remember all the facts about said stars clusters. You could barely remember breakfast, okay, you ain’t gonna remember this.

When you began to yawn more frequently, Sans declared it was time to go back inside. You followed him down, throwing away the ice cream pints and empty water bottles.

“Can… I stay with you, tonight,” you asked hesitantly. The question threw Sans for a loop. It was no secret that most of the house could see you were that close to Red, Papyrus, and Stretch. Sans never expected you to want to be that close to him- at least, not for a long time. He still thought you distrusted him due to him attacking you on your first meeting. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t flattered. And flustered.

“Uh… sure, kid. Gotta warn you, though- room’s a bit messy.” You followed him upstairs, his blue cheekbones giving the area a soft glow. You couldn’t help but think it was cute, how their magic did that.

The room was, indeed, messy. The sheets were bundled up at the end of the bed. A pile of socks sat in the corner, and there were balled up papers thrown everywhere. Dirty clothes also sat in the open closet, which was nearly empty. You gave him a very Papyrus-like look, and he began to sweat.

“You been hangin’ out with Pap too much,” he grumbled, a bit amused, as he shed his jacket and his slippers. He wore a regular white tee underneath the big jacket, and some white socks on his feet.

He let you get in the bed first, getting comfortable, before laying next to you. He turned the lamp off, turning so his back was towards you.

“Night, kid.” “G’night, Sans.”

He was glad you weren’t awake to see his face, when you wrapped your arms around him in your sleep.

Everything was bright. Everything was too white- impossibly white. You were floating, and felt like you were unable to really move. But, unlike before, you didn’t feel scared. You felt calm. As if something was watching over you.

The white splintered, and you heard the voices of the Hunters from the old facility floating through. Before the panic could fully take hold, your world turned black.

Eyes dripped with tar appeared, focusing on you. What felt like many hands- too thin to be human, but not quite skeletal- held you tightly. Your back was pressed against something that was… not fully solid. Oddly, you felt safe in this creature’s hold.

A face appeared, bending over your head to look you in the eye. It held a wide, nervous smile and cracked eye sockets. Your eyes widened, and your mouth opened, but no words came out. They were swallowed by the void.

A voice sounded in your head, sounding like an old computer. The hair on your arms and neck stood, but still, you weren’t scared. If anything, you felt safer, hearing the voice.

“Keep them safe. You are never alone. I have you.”

You reached up, forcing yourself to move against the void, to touch his face. Your mouth moved- Gaster?- and his cracked sockets widened a bit. His smile grew solemn.

“You are never alone,” he repeated, before he was gone. After that, you drifted into a dreamless sleep.

If you remember the dream, you’ll have to tell Sans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WILL I STOP ADDING SKELETONS? Probably yea bc there's a lot but I always felt bad that Gaster was always left out of a lot of fics. I'm not adding all of the alternate Gasters bc HOO that is TOO MUCH for my poor ass. The only Gaster in this is vanilla Gaster. (honestly even putting gaster in here after the horrortale bros is pushing my limit but im determined sakldfjgkd)
> 
> Tahoma is an oc I made a long time ago back when skelesonsas (fontsonas?) were rly popular. I guess he's not rly a "sona" as he's not like... me... at all. The only part that's similar is the depression! I'll reveal more about him, later- either through the fic, or through the blog if it doesn't come up in the fic, as he's not rly... a major character.


	22. Who Is He, Who Are We?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a while! This is what I meant when I said I won't post for a long time due to mental health issues. When I mean long, I mean for months at a time. I hope that doesn't deter people from the fic. If you guys want to keep up with what's going on outside of the fic- maybe just to see why I haven't posted or something- you can follow my tumblr- itsthesinbin.tumblr.com!
> 
> As I said on my tumblr, I won't be hitting the Halloween chapters for Halloween, sadly. My break was too long to make it fit. It'll probably be closer to Thanksgiving when those come out lol.
> 
> I came back with a big info chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it!

You’ve been getting worse, again.

You paranoia and anxiety had taken a hard blow, ever since the encounter with the Hunters near Muffet’s. Ever since the dreams started up again. You’re near inconsolable, sometimes, after a night terror. Red, Sans, or Blue can’t even get in there sometimes to try and comfort you- the risk of you striking out and harming the low-HP monsters is too great.

Sans’ and Papryus’ uncle- Webdings Tahoma- arrived during this whole situation, and was brought up to speed by Sans. The Monster doctor offered to examine you, but you quickly hissed and tried to bite him when he approached. Doctors- human or not- are always on your shit list. He told Red that if Sylvi can’t give you any stronger sleep medicine, he’ll see if he can figure out something.

Today, however, errands needed to be done. Tahoma needed some things, and Papyrus offered to take him. But… Papyrus also had an idea in mind. He went over to the couch, where you sat, wringing his gloved hands. You set your book down, slightly confused. Since when was Papryus ever this nervous?

“Missy, I… thought I’d ask if you wanted to come with Tahoma and I to town! We’re going shopping for him, and I thought we could… stop by Ordelia’s,” he said, a nervous- yet optimistic- grin on his face.

You hesitated. You hadn’t really spoken to Ordelia since the whole… incident, a while back. You were still angry at her. The frustration must’ve shown on your face, because Papyrus’ smile dropped.

“Missy, we’re worried. You can’t sleep, and Miss Sylvi hasn’t been able to do anything. I just… thought maybe Miss Ordelia could.” You were quiet, thinking over the possibilities.

Maybe… if you went to Ordelia, she could’ve figured something out and would be able to talk to you.

You don’t have much to lose, anymore.

“... Let me get changed,” you muttered, heading up to Red’s room. You heard Papyrus let out a small, triumphant laugh, making you snort slightly. 

You had pretty much moved into the house during this time of stress, and Red let you put your clothes in his closet. He wasn’t really using it, so it was free to you. He also set you up with an air mattress on the floor, as you refused to take his bed.

Never said you wouldn’t end up in the bed WITH him, though, on your less violent nights.

Once you were changed, you met Papyrus and Tahoma downstairs. You slowed your walk, staring down the tall, pale monster.

He wasn’t… quite a skeleton, like his nephews. He seemed a bit like a ghoul- strange pale skin trying to mimic the bones underneath. It was… slightly unsettling.

Papyrus broke the uncomfortable silence, grinning at you happily and grabbing your hand. He led you out, Tahoma following behind you both. The older monster waved to Sans, then shut the door behind you.

You got into the back of Papryus’ convertible, buckling yourself in while the two sat up front. Papryus let the hood down, making sure you don’t feel crowded, then began to drive off.

“It’s been a while since we’ve hung out together, Missy! I’m glad you came with us!” You couldn’t help but smile at the excited skeleton through the rear-view mirror. You did miss hanging out with the others- you’ve just… been too nervous to be around anyone but Red.

You listened to Papryus and Tahoma talk between themselves, playing with the bottom of your shirt. Your anxiety grew as the city came into view. Taking a breath, you reminded yourself that you’re with two powerful monsters. In a crowded city full of people and monsters who AREN’T out to kill you. On your way to a woman that, clearly, cares about you.

You’ll be fine.

Papyrus dropped Tahoma off in a Walmart shopping center, much to your surprise. You must not’ve been paying close enough attention to the conversation.

“Are you sure you want us to go on ahead?” “Yes- your friend’s treatment is more important. If you give me the list, I can get started on the shopping. I’ll call when I’m done, if you aren’t here.” Papryus was a little hesitant, but eventually nodded. He handed over the shopping list, and let Tahoma get out. You two waved at him, and he entered the store.

Papyrus pulled out of the parking lot, heading to Ordelia’s shop. The Malkavian runs a small “occult” shop- the kind that appeals to magic users and magic fanatics alike.

He pulled into the small parking space, the two of you exiting the car. You looked at the shop curiously, as you hadn’t actually been to Ordelia’s before. It looked a Halloween-fan’s wet dream. Classic Occult shop- even smelling of incense when you walk in.

A young boy stood behind the counter- jumping at the sound of the bell chiming when the door opened. He eyed you both, before seemingly recognizing Papyrus. He told you both to wait, before bounding up the stairs behind him.

You looked around as you waited. Good thing it was getting close to Halloween- maybe you could ask Ordelia for some decoration tips. As you looked at an assortment of skulls, a thought crossed your mind.

Do the guys hate skeleton decorations, or think they’re funny? You remembered your blanket with the skull and crossbones, but that’s not the same as a full on fake skeleton. Hm. You’d have to ask the boys, later.

The soft padding of bare feet on wood caught your attention. You turned, seeing Ordelia appear. She paused at the end of the stairs, the two of you staring the other down. Her large, thin ears drooped down, before she swallowed.

“Please, upstairs. We can have privacy,” she said slowly, motioning for you both to follow. Papyrus glanced at you, making sure you were alright, before putting a hand on your upper back and following you up the stairs. You passed through a bead curtain, into a small living room. Did Ordelia actually live at her work? Or did she open her shop out of her home? Is there a difference?

“Sit,” she murmured, scurrying to the kitchen. You two sat on the loveseat, and you faintly heard water begin to run. She must be making tea.

When she returned, she set down a tray of treats. Cookies and cupcakes. You wonder if she saw you coming, because these were your favorites. You wonder if she just made these anyway because she missed you. You didn’t want to ask.

She sat in an armchair, curling her legs under her as she always does. She didn’t look at you for a long moment, before finally looking up.

“What… brings you two here?” “Missy has been having nightmares, and has been… getting worse. We would’ve talked to Sylvi, but she seems to be gone for a while-”. Ordelia sat up straighter, brows furrowing.

“Sylvi’s missing?” Papyrus nodded, saying they assumed she was just away from work. Ordelia frowned.

“Odd. I’ll have to call her later.” She thought to herself for a moment, before looking back at you two.

“Nightmares?” You nodded, ringing your hands. 

“Night terrors. Anxiety. Paranoid.” She nodded.

“Did anything cause the spike in anxiety?” “... Saw Hunters.” An immediate hiss left the woman, making you jump. Her pupils had slit in anger. Papyrus, without thinking, pulled you closer. Half shielding you from the potential danger out of instinct. Ordelia took a breath, sitting back in the chair.

“I… apologize. Con.. continue.” You all were quiet. Papyrus, slowly, let you go. He kept a hand on your leg, though. A comfort.

“I… Stretch and I… went from Muffet’s. People were following us. Been… scared, since then.” Ordelia hesitated, before leaning forward. She looked at you intently, making the hair on the back of your neck rise.

“You need to be careful. You… are being targeted. You cannot be alone.” Her gaze turned to Papyrus, who was starting to get really nervous.

“You are all in danger. You need to keep her away from them.” He swallowed thickly, before nodding.

“If you feel you are in too much danger, you are free to come stay with me and my charge.” Yeah, you weren’t leaving the boys. You nodded anyway, though, to be polite.

“I will call Alex and Leonardo about this, as well. We’ll keep them away from you.” The kettle went off, and she hurried to get the tea ready. You nibbled on a cookie nervously, reaching down to hold Papyrus’ gloved hand. He patted your hand with his free one.

“Try not to worry too much, we’ll keep you safe. I promise- and I never break a promise.” He was much more serious than he normally was, and the look in his sockets made you a bit flustered. You felt your cheeks get a bit warm, and you nodded again.

“I know, Papyrus. I trust you.”

When she came back, you two had relaxed. Tea was distributed, and she sat down again.

“... I’ve been… thinking about the pact. What I could say and what I couldn’t. Sylvi helped me figure things out, as well. I think… I am able to give you some information.” You perked up immediately. She held her hands to you, as if silently telling you to calm down.

“I… cannot tell you anything about you. My pact forbids me from talking about anything relating to you. But, as long as it does not involve you, I can give you information.” That put a damper on your spirits, but… was better than nothing. You knew what your first question would be.

“Who is Gerasimos?” Ordelia sighed slightly.

“Gerasimos is… a friend of mine. An… ancient vampire, like myself. He… lives in the very woods that you do, he has just… been gone for a long time. A few months. I do not know if he’s returned yet, however.” Okay. That’s information you can use! He lives in the woods! You looked to Papyrus, eyes wide and hopeful. He grinned at you.

“We will definitely tell the others, and look for him!” You smiled- a real one that you haven’t done in a few days. You turned back to Ordelia.

“He’s a Gangrel, right?” She hesitated. She gave a slow nod, gaining a strange look on her face.

“Yes, he is, but he… I… we are very different from normal vampires.” The implication in her voice was there. You were different.

“We are… the first of our kind. The Old Ones- the Ancients. We… were made by a witch coven and a group of werewolves. They wanted to make cannon fodder, so to speak, to take the world from humans. Their mistake was using angry captives as experiments.” You swallowed.

“What… is the difference between a regular vampire and… you?” She folded her hands, looking down at them.

“For Malkavians, I am a true future seer. I do not see possible instances for branching paths- I can see the definite future of certain people and creatures. For Gangrels…” She looked up at you.

“Gerasimos is one of the very first. Gangrels are the originals- made from the mutated canine blood. He is a beast. He is THE beast. Why his blood burns under the sun. Why he is a werewolf in a vampire’s body.” The way she was talking… you realized she had found a loophole. A way to give you information about yourself, under the guise of it being about him.

“He hurts. We do not know if he can die- if any of us can.” You felt your blood run cold. The way she said that… will you be able to die? What does… this blood do to you?

A text tone went off, making everyone jump. Papyrus fished out his cell, seeing that it was Tahoma. He had texted that he was finished. Papyrus sighed, putting the phone away and looking at you.

“Tahoma is… finished shopping. Are… you ready to go?” Slowly, you nodded. You… didn’t want to hear anymore right now. You’d call Ordelia later.

“Thank you for the help, miss Ordelia,” Papyrus said as the both of you stood. She got up as well, nodding. She came over, shaking his hand. She grasped yours tightly, looking down at you with a tiredness that really showed you that… she was much older than she appeared.

“I can… tell you one thing.” She leaned down, pressing a kiss to your forehead. Her voice wavered.

“I love you as if you were my own.” You swallowed thickly, feeling your eyes grow wet. You gave her a tight hug, which she returned happily. She purred softly, finally letting you go so you could follow Papyrus out.

When you two got into the car and buckled up, you broke down. You sobbed into your hands, making Papyrus look back at you.

“Missy-” You shook your head, motioning for him to drive.

“I just… need to get this out, Papyrus,” you whispered, voice cracking. Clearly, he didn’t like the idea, but he knew that sometimes you just… needed to cry. He knows Sans did, often, before they came here.

Reluctantly, he began the drive back to Walmart.

By the time you arrived, your sobbing had quieted to small hiccups. You wiped your face, looking up at Papyrus.

“... Can we go in and get some cookies…” Papyrus felt his heart break. You sounded so upset. He nodded, getting out and helping you exit the car.

“Of course. … As long as you don’t go overboard, you can even get oreos.” You let out a weak purr, holding his hand as he brought you inside. He sent a quick text to Tahoma, telling him what you two were doing, before taking you to the snack section.

You almost ran into a woman, due to not paying attention. She dropped her box of honey buns, trying to dodge you. You held your hands up as she picked up the box.

“Sorry- I’m so sorry-” You cringed at your voice crack. Man, it was really clear you had been crying. She smiled at you.

“Don’t worry- you’re fine! … Are you fine, hun?” You tried not to say anything, but a loud sniff left you so you didn’t drip snot on yourself. She gave you a sympathetic smile.

“Let me guess, getting you some comfort food?” You nodded, glancing over to see Papyrus getting a few packs of oreos. She saw the skeleton as well, and a small amount of recognition settled in her eyes.

“Are you from that cabin that was built in the woods a long time ago?” Papyrus looked over, before nodding. He came over, handing you a separate pack of cookies.

“Yes! Although, I have… never seen you around?” “Oh, I just got back from a trip with my husband. We live a bit out of the way, as well, but we saw a few skeletons that looked a little like you near the cabin we passed by.”

“New neighbors, then! A pleasure to meet you!” She shrugged.

“Well, not really new. We saw the cabin being built, just… never knew who moved in. My husband didn’t want me to go greet anyone,” she huffed. A fond smile was on her face, though.

“Well, still! It is nice to meet you! I am Papyrus, and this is Missy!” Papyrus shook her hand enthusiastically, making her laugh.

“Dianna- nice to meet you both.” She shook your hand next with a smile.

“Well, since we met, maybe we can meet up again, since we’re neighbors. Be nice to not have to come to the city to talk to someone.” Papyrus grinned.

“That sounds swell! Just be mindful of where you step- we have a lot of puzzles on the property!” She looked confused for a moment, before letting out a small “oh”.

“Right- monsters and puzzles. Got it. I’ll bring cookies,” she said, smiling. “I’d stay to talk, but I need to get going. I’m running late.” She waved to you both, walking by you two. You watched her go, frowning a little.

She smelled… very familiar.

“There you two are.” You jumped at the sound of Tahoma’s voice. He came over with a full cart, eyeing the oreos.

“If you wanted snacks, you could’ve said so. I would’ve gotten them.” Papyrus shook his head.

“Last minute decision, uncle. Let’s go to checkout and… go home.” Tahoma’s brow ridge rose at the exhausted undertone to his nephew’s voice, but didn’t say anything at the moment.

“... Alright, son. Let’s… go, then.” He patted Papyrus’ upper back, before following the younger skeleton to the checkout. Hesitantly, you pulled up the rear. You couldn’t concentrate on what they were saying, though.

You couldn’t help but think to the rough scent that came from Dianna, when she passed by, as well as the odd prickle you felt when she touched you.

… A part of you wondered if she was a witch.


	23. I Died Here, I Lived Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

Things had been looking up.

You were, slowly, starting to ease out of your paranoia. It wasn’t nowhere near gone, but you finally stopped having violent night terrors. Now, you only had regular night terrors. At least Red wasn’t at risk of accidentally getting dusted, anymore.

At the moment, you were with Axe and Crooks. With Tahoma at the house, the scientists of the group went into overdrive with… whatever’s in the basement. The hyperactive skeletons went to restock on food and house supplies while they were busy. You didn’t want to go out for hours for shopping, so you stayed with the skeletons in the shack.

You and Axe were lounging on the couch, Crooks humming in the kitchen as he cooked lunch. Smelled like meatballs, but no pasta. There was meat involved, so you were fine with it. Hell, if Crooks was cooking, you were fine with anything.

“You been doing alright, kid,” Axe questioned, making you jump slightly. He had been quiet for so long you thought he was asleep. You sat back against the couch, fiddling with the remote in your hands. He noticed your hesitation.

“Been getting worse?” You shook your head, but let out a sigh that didn’t convince him that you were alright.

“Nightmares have been… better. But… lot’s happened.” You didn’t want to elaborate at the moment, and Axe could pick up on that. He simply nodded, leaning back onto the couch arm again.

“Ain’t gotta tell me if you don’t wanna. Bro already brought me up to speed.” At your confused look, Axe continued.

“He has Red update him on what’s going on, since we don’t go over there too often to see ya. He always tells me when something big goes down.” Okay, so you don’t even have to explain anything to them. That makes you feel a little better.

Lunch was served- meatball subs- and Crooks joined you on the couch.

“I was very happy to hear you made up with miss Ordelia!” You hesitated on your next bite, moving the sandwich away from your mouth.

“Not… quite made up, but… on the way,” you explained. Crooks nodded thoughtfully.

“It’s better than still being angry!” You could definitely agree on that. Axe was quiet, before bringing up the subject you were dreading.

“That Gerasimos guy- he lives in the woods here?” You swallowed your food, nodding slightly. Axe grunted, eyelight rolling up to the ceiling as he thought.

“Huh… maybe that’s who owned the ratty old cabin we found when we came out here.” You perked up, looking over at him.

“Cabin?” “Yeah. We almost took it, but there was a lot of old blood and broken boards around. Left it alone cause it’d be too much trouble to fix. That and… didn’t wanna find a torture chamber or something.” He seemed to shudder at a memory, and even Crooks looked mildly uncomfortable. You set your food down, looking Axe in the eye.

“Take me.” The short skeleton frowned.

“I, uh… don’t think that’s a good idea- at least, not without Red here.” You gave Axe a pleading look, whining slightly.

“Please, Axe- I need to see this cabin.” Axe began to sweat slightly, a subtle flush dusting his cheekbones. He looked to Crooks, who didn’t know if it was a good idea either. Ultimately, Axe gave in.

“... Fine, fine- but you gotta finish eating first.” You began wolfing the rest of your food down, much to Axe’s amusement. Crooks tried to get you to slow down, but knew there wasn’t much stopping you.

Food finished, Crooks put the plates in the sink, before rejoining you both in the living room. You hurriedly put your shoes on, allowing Axe to take the lead. Crooks locked the door behind you both, before catching up and holding your hand.

“Been a while since we’ve been there, so there could be some animals in there- be ready for a raccoon or something,” Axe joked, but you could tell he was actually worried about finding something dangerous there. You let out a noise to show you heard him.

After what seemed like an eternity, you three came upon an old cabin. It smelled of wood rot and stale blood, and looked like something… very big… scratched through multiple wood panels. Deep claw marks littered the doorway, as well as the floors.

You let go of Crooks’ hand, rushing into the cabin. The skeletons tried to stop you, but something drew you to it.

When you opened the door, a familiar scene began to play.

_You woke up on the floor, fire crackling in the fireplace nearby. Your chest hurt- God, it fucking hurt- and you could barely breathe. A deep keening noise sounded to your left, and you looked over. A large figure was pacing back and forth, body hunched as he stood on two legs._

_“Ordelia, she doesn’t have that kind of time,” he snarled, “she needs you NOW.” The voice on the phone muttered something, but you were too far away to hear. You let out a harsh wheeze, catching the vampire’s attention. The animal-like being keened again._

_“Hurry,” was all he said to the phone, then hung up. He dropped back to all fours, rushing over to you. He sat next to you, starting to remove the rapidly-reddening bandages. You sobbed- a broken noise that made him whine._

_“You’re… you’re gonna be fine, kid. I got you. You know me- Ol’ Simos ain’t gonna… let anything happen-.” He sounded on the verge of tears, but he was determined to not make you panic._

_With a shaky, weak hand, you grabbed his arm. He looked down at you, ears pinned back. You hacked up the blood and bile rising in your throat, panting heavily._

_“I’m not gonna make it, Simos.” He growled._

_“Like hell you’re not-” He was cut off by you taking in a harsh breath. Something was very wrong, and the wounds in your chest were the cause of it. He paused for only a moment, before bringing his free hand to his mouth._

_“I’m not letting you go like this. You’re_ **_mine_ ** _. I practically raised you, and I’m not letting that little fucking punk take you away from me.” He bit his hand roughly, causing blood to pour out of the bite marks. He removed his arm from your hold, slicing your shirt fully open. When he spotted the worst wound, he pressed the bloody hand to your chest. You whimpered, gripping his arm again._

_A name was called- your name. Your true name. You forced your eyes to open, looking up at the vampire above you. You were either hallucinating, or the grouchy vampire was actually crying._

_You suddenly screamed, feeling a horrible pain in your chest as his blood seeped into your bloodstream. Your body thrashed, and he had to hold you down with his other hand to keep the process going. You gagged, clawing at his arm hard enough to draw blood. He hissed, but didn’t let up._

_“You’re not dying on me, kid. I’m not losing you.” He pressed his forehead to the side of your head as you wailed, purring comfortingly. A noise he would use to soothe you after a nightmare._

_You finally fell unconscious when your heart stopped._

You fell to your knees in the middle of the dilapidated cabin. You wheezed, hunching over and clutching your chest. Crooks called out to you, hurrying inside. Axe followed his brother, the two crouching down to you as Crooks put his hands on your shoulders.

A shaking hand pressed to the flooring. The spot where you bled. Fat tears fell down your face.

“Missy? What’s wrong? Talk to us!” You looked up at Crooks, hiccupping.

“... I died here,” you whispered. Axe’s eyelight shrunk, and Crooks frowned in confusion. You let out a hysterical noise- half laughing, half sobbing.

“Gerasimos- he… he made me. I was human. He turned me, I-... I was dying. I did die. For a second. Or longer.” You looked back down at the floor. A sob escaped your throat.

“Why was I dying? Someone tried to kill me…?” You dug your hands into your hair. God, you were so frustrated. Every new answer led to a hundred questions.

Your impending mental breakdown was interrupted. Footsteps sounded from outside, catching your attentions. Axe stood. Crooks helped you to your feet as the older skeleton crept outside.

He dodged a tranq gun shot the moment he tried to exit the building.

Someone shouted outside- saying to move in- and you heard more people getting closer. You spotted a person moving by a broken window, eyes catching the symbol on their helmet. Your eyes slitted immediately.

Hunters. They were here. They were going to hurt you. Hurt Axe and Crooks.

Axe moved away from the doorway as a man appeared, armed and armored.

“Grab the skeletons, too- they’ll be useful.” You screeched angrily, body immediately shifting from human to vampire. Before the man, or skeletons, could react, you ran forward and pounced on him.

“They’re MINE,” you roared, slashing your claws through the man’s unprotected throat. He gurgled, and you hear shots go off. Needles pricked your skin, and you screamed angrily. Crooks tried to call out to you, but you ignored him.

You jumped to the nearest hunter, digging your fangs into their neck and claws into their chest. You saw another man was impaled by bones, and looked back to Axe. Crooks had a large bone in his hand, looking more furious than you’ve ever seen him.

“Guess we got a fight on our hands,” Axe growled. The skeletons were forced to stop as you were shot with a strong taser. You screamed, falling to the ground as you seized. The woman holding the taser stood over you, another man shooting you with another tranquilizer. You could already feel them kicking in.

“You monsters are going to come with us, quietly. Or you’re all dead.” Axe and Crooks looked between each other, then at you. You clawed at the ground as they put their magic weapons away.

“No- th… they’re mine,” you slurred as they were put in monster-proof restraints. “Can’t- can’t have them-”. The woman jabbed a shock baton into your side, making you screech.

“Shut it, beast. You’ve given us too much trouble, and now you’re gonna be a good bat and shut. Your. fucking. Mouth.” A muzzle was forced onto you, and you were restrained. You finally passed out when a large van came in to take you all away.

Axe could only watch as the doors to the van were shut, and you all began the trek to… wherever you all were going.

\-----------------

When Red came back to get you back from the brothers, he was confused to find you guys gone. When he checked his phone and saw no updates, he wondered where the hell you all were.

Hours passed. No sign of you, Axe, or Crooks. Everyone was getting worried.

Red paced the living room, constantly checking his phone. Blue was anxiously making dinner, and Sans was scratching at the back of his skull.

“Can’t you use the phone gps shit,” Red finally snapped to Sans. Sans jumped, grabbing his phone.

Right as he did, a frantic knocking sounded on the door. Everyone glanced between each other, before Red went to answer it.

A frantic Ordelia was there, with a very distressed Abe.

“Ordelia-?” “Come with us. Now,” she hissed, grabbing Red’s arm. He tried to fight her for a second, but she snarled at him.

“She’s in danger, and the only place we can help her is in the woods.” He stopped fighting, immediately. Boss and Sans stood, following them out.

Silently, Ordelia led them all to the cabin. Sans put a hand over his mouth at the carnage around, trying not to throw up at the sight of bugs eating away at the dead humans.

“What happened-?” Ordelia turned to Red, grabbing his shoulders.

“Call Alex. Leonardo. They can help you. I cannot find her- their technologies block my powers. They are all there- together. And they need you.” Red’s sockets widened, and he began to sweat. Ordelia swayed on her feet, and Abe helped her sit nearby.

Sans grabbed his phone, dialing Alex. Boss, hesitantly, put a hand on Red’s shoulder as he inspected the dead bodies around.

Those were definitely your claw marks, and that smelled like your blood. The broken bone shards around were from Axe’s attacks. He felt frustrated tears leave his sockets as he pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes. He couldn’t believe this. He knew that Hunters were around, and he left you nearly alone anyway. How could he be so stupid?

For what felt like the first time in years, he let the tears flow. And, if the subtle trembling in Boss’ hand indicated anything, Red wasn’t the only one crying.


	24. Welcome To Hell

It was an hour before the Supernatural police fully set up. Alex had sent the skeletons and Abe to their respectful homes. Ordelia was only able to stay because she could tell them what she saw. Red had argued- needing to stay to know what happened- but Alex said they could work faster with them at home. Alex said they’ll talk to them soon, and Boss forced Red to go.

When they returned home, they explained what they knew. Blue and Papyrus immediately started crying, and their respective brothers tried to calm them down. Hard to do when they were on the verge of crying, themselves. Red sat in Sans’ recliner, taking in an angry, shuddering breath.

“This is my fucking fault.” Boss frowned, asking what the hell he was talking about.

“If I had let her stay here- stayed up here with her- those assholes would’ve had to come to US,” Red snapped, slamming his fists onto the chair’s arms. “The three of us, plus Tahoma? We could’ve taken them down!” Boss sneered.

“Or, we could’ve all been taken.” Red paused, deflating.

“At least I’d be there with her,” Red snarled, dropping his head into his hands. Boss opened his mouth, but decided against speaking.

“You wouldn’t be able to help her from in there,” Stretch said, breaking the silence. “She needs more of us here, looking for her.” Red glared at the orange skeleton from the corner of his socket.

“At least if I was there with her, I could keep her calm! You think the horror show can?” Stretch frowned.

“Yeah, I do. Even if they aren’t around, they’re not heartless. They know what to do. At the very least, Crooks can talk her down.” Red wasn’t convinced, but… there were no other options.

A knocking on the door interrupted them, and Boss hurried to answer it. He moved aside to let them in, and the skeletons focused on the small group.

Ordelia, Alex, and Arle stood behind a large man. The new man- the Surface Monster Ambassador- was pale, with dark brown hair and a stern stare. He looked like he had to hurry from an office job, and has his suit jacket draped over his arm. Sans stood, letting Boss take his seat, and approached the man.

“Mister Sans,” the man greeted, shaking the short skeleton’s hand. Sans nodded in return, looking up at him wearily.

“Leonardo- nice to see you again.” “Yes- I wish it were under better circumstances, though.” Arle helped a dizzy Ordelia sit down. Papyrus helped steady her, and then went to go get drinks for everyone.

“So, what happened,” Red grunted, glancing at Ordelia before looking up at Leonardo. The Ventrue sighed.

“After… deciphering Ordelia’s statement, and looking at the scene, here’s what we assumed happened…” He leaned against the wall as Papyrus returned. Ordelia took the water, hoping it would help with her impending migraine.

“We don’t know why your friends were at that cabin, but while they were there they were ambushed by Hunters-.” “She was looking for him.” Leonardo looked over at Ordelia.

“The Old One. She is searching.” Papyrus’ shoulders drooped, and his sockets widened. Sans noticed the look, but didn’t say anything. Leonardo sighed.

“Okay, your friend- Missy, was it?- was looking for someone. Your other friends must have taken her to that cabin. Those Hunters must have staked that cabin, for some reason. From what I’ve been told about her situation, those Hunters have been looking for her. They must’ve been waiting near there, because no one was around.” Leonardo looked out the nearest window, as if scoping the area.

“Possibly even waiting to ambush the house, itself.” The thought unsettled everyone, but they didn’t have a chance to voice their anxieties as he turned back to the group.

“The particular group of Hunters those humans belonged to had been arrested months ago, and a bunch of ferals liberated and hospitalized. It’s very likely that she was one of the ferals that escaped.” Red’s sockets widened. Is that why they’ve been after you so insistently?

“Why take the other two,” Stretch asked. Leonardo sighed.

“Hunters are “protectors of humanity”. They’ll kidnap, or kill, any monsters they deem a threat. And most are threats. If they were taken, they will be… used for study.” The look in Leonardo’s eye- the way he gripped a certain part of his arm- showed he was speaking from experience. He shook his head, dropping his arms to their original positions.

“We will begin searching for them immediately, but… I must warn you. Hunters are… very good at hiding. There… may be a chance we-.” Red stood, eye sockets void of light.

“Don’t. Say it.” “I am-.” Red slammed his hands on the coffee table. Boss called his name in a scolding manner, but Red snarled at him. It threw Boss off enough to shut his mouth.

“I don’t wanna hear any shit, fancy pants. You’re gonna find them. We’re going to find them. She’s coming back.” Boss put a hand on Red’s shoulder, trying to reel him in. Red growled, sitting back down. Leonardo didn’t blame the monster for his reaction, though.

“We will keep you updated-.” Tahoma cleared his throat from his spot near the stairwell, catching Leonardo’s attention.

“Mister Nicodemus, I’d like to offer my services.” Leonardo rose a brow, but motioned for Tahoma to continue.

“Due some… sensitive issues, my nephew and I made a device that can locate certain Souls. If these Hunters don’t have the correct blocking tech, we could possibly use our device to track Axe and Crooks.” Red sneered.

“What about Missy,” he growled. Tahoma gave him a tired look.

“They were taken together. We find Axe and Crooks, most likely we find Missy.” Red paused, before letting out a grunt. Tahoma ignored him, turning back to Leonardo. The Ventrue considered the offer, before extending an arm towards Tahoma. Motioning for him to follow.

“Tell us more about this device.”

\---------------------

It was a full day before you finally woke up.

Your head pounded, and you still felt sluggish from the drugs pumped into you. A heavy collar sat around your throat, and a muzzle on your face. Flexing your hands shows that you were in human form. Feeling the cold floor against your skin proved you were naked. Of course, they’d strip you of literally everything.

You sat up, grunting slightly at the effort, and leaned against a wall. The cell you were in was a clear box, as you expected it to be, with some blankets haphazardly thrown in the corner as a “bed”. In proper fashion for vampire captives, you were situated under a large window. The sun was high, beating down on you. Your skin was already burning.

You knew better than to cry about it.

You finally got the strength to look around, seeing more clear cells in the giant room you were in. The growls and snarls and cries of other monsters greeted you, as you became more aware of your surroundings. You looked behind you, towards the others in the room.

A werewolf paced their cell, body thin and eyes wild. Feral.

A wendigo screeched in a cell nearby, clawing at the glass. A disembodied leg sat on the floor of its’ cage, and you hoped the person they got it from wasn’t suffering.

A golden Emthrall was curled up in a cage across from you, sobbing into her hands. Wait… 

You sat up straighter, opening your dry mouth. You wet your lips, calling out to the Emthrall. She looked up, ethereal body glittering under the fluorescent lights. Her long, floating hair and wide eyes were all too familiar.

“Sylvi,” you croaked, forcing yourself to crawl closer to the front of your cell. She let out a relieved breath, walking towards the front wall of her own containment.

“Oh, you’re alright,” she hiccuped. You whined slightly, feeling your eyes sting. Sylvi felt her heart break at the sight of your anguish shining around you.

“Are Axe and Crooks okay?” Your words were a little muffled, due to how the muzzle sat on your face, but she could understand you.

“Missy???? Is that you???” Crooks’ voice drifted from nearby, and you looked around wildly. Crooks was in a cell nearby, and you could just barely see him from the angle you were at. Much to your anger, and his embarrassment, he was also stripped down to the bare bones.

“Crooks?” “Oh thank the stars you’re awake! We’ve been so worried!” “Where’s Axe?” He hesitated, making your anxiety spike.

“He was… taken out, a couple hours ago.” Immediately, you growled. You could only imagine what they were doing to him. 

“What’s going on? Why did those humans come after us?” A hot wave of shame washed over you, and you dropped your head against the wall. You fiddled with the muzzle, hoping you could take it off. Sadly, it had a special lock on it.

“... After me,” you said, shoulders drooping. Crooks asked why, but before you could say anything, guards came into the room.

Axe was completely restrained. Arms behind his back, muzzle on his face. And, in proper fashion, stripped completely for study. He looked tired, and there were marks from where they tested on him. They forced him to walk, but from how lidded his sockets were you were sure he’d pass out once he got in his cell.

He was pushed into the cell next to your own, the door slammed shut and locked. Axe blearily looked around, eyelight landing on you. The light dilated, and a tired, relieved smiled settled on his face.

“Glad you’re awake, Sweets,” he muttered, before passing out. Crooks called out for his brother, trying to ask if he was alright. No response, but he didn’t turn to dust so… you assumed he was relatively okay.

The guards stopped in front of your cell, sneering down at you.

“Alright. Subject Alpha 027- glad you’re back with us.” The door was opened, and the guards came in to grab you. You snarled, pupils slitting as you stood and backed away.

“Leave her alone! Please!” Crooks’ cry fell on deaf ears. When a man approached, you punched him hard in the nose. You felt the bone and skin shift under your fist as he screamed. A harsh shock came from the collar around your neck, making you screech.

You fell to the ground, twitching and wheezing. They fastened restraints onto your wrists, before lifting you up by the arms and dragging you along.

Down the bright halls. To the rooms that drove you mad in the first place. The fight in you was quelled before it began, due to another shock from a baton the moment you tried to struggle.

A voice whispered in the back of your mind as you entered the room. You were strapped down to a table. Just like before, you stared up at the fluorescent lights until your eyes burned. Once again, you felt the needles and the poking and prodding. The voice grew louder the more you drifted from your own mind.

“I will not let you break, little one,” the voice whispered, a small comfort in the hell you were forced back into.

When you finally passed out, a familiar face stared at you. All nervous smiles and cracked sockets. The void itself reached out to you, enveloping you in Gaster’s embrace. An odd sensation came from the being holding you- purring?- and he hid you in the void. Away from the brightness and the pain.

He whispered words of assurance, voice crackling slightly in the void. It comforted you. Let you feel safe in this place where you could die.

Despite where you are, you felt truly secure. You moved against the void, reaching out to hold onto Gaster’s body. You clung to him like a lifeline, and you felt the darkness surround you completely.

For just a little bit, you could forget you were back in hell. And by God, you were going to take that chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next few chapters will have these split POVs in them- I don't know if it's something I'll do often after this set of chapters, but I don't quite have a way to balance between the skeletons and Missy's POVs without stretching it out way too long.


	25. Love Hurts

You don’t know how many days had passed, since you were dragged back here. Possibly a week? Maybe more? You stopped really counting after day two.

You knew this wasn’t the same facility you were held in. Less technology around, less staff. This was a temporary place. Probably trying to contact another faction that could take them in.

You know they’ll use you as a bargaining chip. Knowing what you know, now… You were a valuable creature.

If Gerasimos was able to die, you’d kill him for putting you in this fucking mess. Looking around at this bare cell and these white walls and tortured creatures, you wish he had let you bleed out in that cabin.

Movement to your left caught your eye. You looked over, seeing Axe sitting up. Ever since you’ve all been here, he’s been passing out more often. He looked so tired. Weary. You’re afraid of what will happen if you’re in here too long.

“... You been awake long, kid,” he asked, voice a little slurred and groggy. He always returns from the testing drugged to hell and back. Probably because of how strong he is. You nodded slightly, watching as he looked around for Sylvi and Crooks. Both were asleep, as were most of the other ferals and monsters in the room. Only a few were awake, besides you two. Only a couple were crying.

“Haven’t slept,” you answered. Your voice gave away how exhausted you were, though. He grunted slightly, turning to look at you again when he was sure his brother was okay.

“You need to. Gotta be at full strength when we bust out of here.” You gave a bitter snort, dropping your head back against the wall. You, thankfully, hadn’t been forced into bat form yet. You hope they waited longer to put you in it.

“Says the drugged skeleton,” you muttered. He let out a small chuckle, mimicking your posture.

“I’m always tired- I’ll be able to fight when it comes to it.” You grunted slightly, knowing he was just trying to make you feel better.

“You two shouldn’t talk about that so loudly,” a tired voice said, drawing your attention towards Sylvi’s cage. She was sitting up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes with a yawn. Bones rattling alerted you to Crooks’ awakening, as well.

“If they catch anyone talking about escaping, who knows what they’ll do-.” “I know.” Sylvi looked to you, eyes widening slightly. You growled softly.

“Solitary confinement. Not just a padded room where you can’t move, either. Can’t hear anything but your heart.” She put a hand over her mouth.

“A… sensory deprivation cell?” You nodded, gaze growing unfocused as the memory returned. Trapped in the white room until you were screaming. Begging for freedom.

“Missy- look at me.” Your eyes snapped back to Sylvi, pupils slit dangerously.

“You’re not in the cell. You’re out here, in the open, with us. Focus on that.” You took in a shaky breath, nodding slightly and shutting your eyes. Trying to focus on the noises you could hear.

“How are we going to get out of here…?” Crooks’ desperate tone broke your heart. You opened your eyes again to look at your friends. Sylvi sat back on the blankets, curling her knees to her chest.

“I don’t know,” she whispered. Axe cursed under his breath.

“I’m sure the others are lookin’ for us,” he sighed, sockets slipping shut. Trying to resist the urge to dig at the unlit socket until it leaked. He did that the second day, and he was dragged away to get samples from. And that hurt much worse than what he did to himself.

“Tahoma’s probably figured out where we are, by now, right? He’s had enough time.” Papyrus let out a mumble of agreement, but even he didn’t seem to believe it too well. You frowned.

“Why Tahoma?” Axe’s head tilted to the side, as if he would be looking at you if his sockets were open.

“When we all ended up here, he and Vanilla made a machine that would track us down if we got rowdy. Tuned into our Souls, since they’re really similar to Vanilla and Creampuff’s.” You couldn’t help but give another bitter laugh.

“These places are tech-proof.” Axe’s grin widened slightly.

“But are they magic proof?” You were about to answer, but stopped short. Sure, they were perfected against SURFACE magic, but… Underground magic was different. The way their technologies were made was different, too.

“... Don’t know,” you answered honestly. You didn’t know if they had enough time to make special containments for Underground monsters like that. How long had they been here, again? You couldn’t remember.

“Look, kid, you need to sleep. They said they’ll be doing something tomorrow, so you need to rest up,” Axe finally said, after a long silence. You grunted. You knew he was right, but man… you really didn’t want to go to sleep.

“... I’ll try,” you said, moving to lay down on the blankets. Axe, Sylvi, and Crooks talked among themselves quietly, hoping not to be too loud. Both for your sake, and to keep the guards from catching on to their scheming.

When you finally drifted to sleep, you found yourself in a familiar place. The bright room with the single dark entity in the middle. Instead of floating, you were able to walk towards Gaster freely. He held a hand out to you, and you took it happily.

“You are a strong woman,” Gaster said. “Many people would break under what you’ve endured.” You huffed slightly, sitting down on the… ground? You’re going to call it the ground.

“Already did,” you mumbled as Gaster sat in front of you. He let out a small hum, face falling slightly.

“I… suppose you did. But… I am proud of you for not falling back into that place.” You grunted slightly, looking down at the ground. It was quiet for a moment, before Gaster spoke up again. He was very hesitant to do so.

“I… have been thinking about your situation, my dear. And I may have… an idea, on how to help you, should it come down to it.” You perked up, raising a brow. You nodded, urging him to continue. He wrung his hands, trying to assemble the correct words.

“Your Soul is… different, than most. The fact you are able to be here and talk to me is telling enough. I believe that I can… fuse with your Soul, in a way. My magic can tap into your own- can bleed through your Soul.” You frowned.

“I have magic?” He seemed surprised, but nodded.

“You didn’t know?” You shook your head. “Your magic is… very strong, just like your Soul. I am… surprised you’ve never figured it out.” You looked down at your hands, wondering what kind of magic you had.

“I must warn you, though. If the stress is too immense on your Soul, it could… worsen. Fracture more, or even… shatter completely.” You stared at him, eyes wide. You closed a fist over your chest, where your Soul was.

It was visible here- possibly due to whatever magic caused you to be able to talk to Gaster in the first place. The healing fractures had been irritated and worsened by the move to the Hunter base. You could see new cracks had appeared since you last saw your Soul.

You stared down at the orange Soul. Axe, Crooks, and Sylvi are trapped here, as well. Along with the other monsters- Surface and Underground alike.

“I could try to keep you together, the best I can,” Gaster assured, sensing your apprehension. “But… there is no guarantee you’ll make it out of this in one piece.”

You couldn’t let your friends suffer because of you. Not anymore than they already have. If saving them meant losing yourself… so be it.

You looked up at Gaster again, determination shining in your eyes. You nodded slightly.

“Can’t… let them stay there. Not ‘cause of me. Not gonna let them go through what I did.” His expression grew solemn.

“Are you sure about this? The process is irreversible- we’d be even more connected than we are now, and should it go wrong…” he trailed off. You knew you could go crazy, or worse.

“I don’t care. Gaster… I know you care about me, and the others, but… if getting them out, safe, ends with me ending up God knows how…-” you grabbed his hand- “I want to do it.” He smiled, but it held a sadness to it.

“You truly are a brave woman- befitting of the Soul in front of me. Alright. We’ll do this.” He motioned for you to come closer, and you sat against him as he directed.

“Will this hurt,” you asked quietly as you felt the void creep along your body. Toward your Soul.

“... Yes, it will.” You swallowed, holding onto the hand that somehow seemed to never move from your own.

“I’m scared,” you said honestly, feeling tears prick your eyes. His skull settled against the back of your head. The familiar action made a weak purr come from you.

“I have you, my dear.” You gripped his hand tighter as the void finally reached your Soul, seeping in through the cracks. Your mouth opened in a scream, but nothing came out.

God, it hurt.

\---------------------

Sans woke up in a cold sweat, eyelights gone completely. Something felt very wrong. His Soul felt like it would explode from his ribcage. He gripped the tank he wore, getting up and stumbling to his doorway.

Papyrus. He had to get to his brother. His hands shook as he reached the door, opening it quickly. Normally, he’d knock, but he was too panicked to think about it.

Papyrus was sitting up in bed, hunched over with a hand on his ribcage. Sans’ sockets widened, and he shuffled over to the bed.

“Papyrus? Bro, you okay?” Papyrus looked up, breathing heavy. He grabbed Sans’ free hand as the older brother sat down.

“I woke up with a pain in my chest. Something… feels wrong, Sans.” The shorter skeleton almost replied, before a third person entered the room.

“I see we’re all having chest problems,” Tahoma wheezed, moving to grab Papyrus’ computer chair and wheel it closer to the bed. He sat, looking at his nephews.

“Any of the others up,” Sans asked. Tahoma shook his head, leaning back against the chair. Papyrus, slowly, stood.

“I’m… going to make us all something to drink- maybe warm milk. That might… help with the tightness,” he said distractedly, moving past his brother and uncle to get to the door. When he was gone, Sans turned to Tahoma.

“Something’s wrong,” he stated, getting off of the racecar bed. Tahoma nodded, letting Sans help him up out of the chair. Tahoma squeezed his sockets shut, before moving to leave.

“The basement. We need to check the device,” he grunted. Sans followed behind him, keeping an arm around his back to help steady him.

“Tahoma… what the fuck’s going on,” he whispered, sneaking to the basement. Papyrus saw them go down there, loudly whispering to be careful going down the stairs. Sans flashed him a thumbs up, and Papyrus went back to warming the milk.

Once in the basement, Tahoma went to the small desk that had been set up for him. Large machinery whirred behind thick glass behind them, lending to the white noise that helped Tahoma concentrate.

Tahoma picked up a laptop-like device, opening it and booting it up. Sans pulled up his normal chair, sitting next to his uncle.

“Did… one of them die? Is that what we’re feeling?” Tahoma hesitated, before shaking his head.

“I don’t think so. If that was the case, I wouldn’t be feeling this. And if it was just one, only one of you would be reacting this strongly.” That… was a small comfort, in a way.

Tahoma tapped away at the keys, pulling up Axe’s and Crooks’ Soul signatures. Axe’s was weak, but both were still visible. They’re alive. But… there was a new anomaly.

Tahoma frowned, brow bone pinching in confusion as he tried to figure out what was causing the anomaly. Sans pointed out something on the screen, and Tahoma tried to isolate it.

“What the…?” Their sockets widened.

Two cracked souls overlapped each other- one orange and fractured, one white and missing pieces from the sides. They were vibrating intensely, before they finally settled down. Slowly, the white Soul disappeared until it was barely visible. Like a shadow of the orange soul.

The tightness in their chests vanished, as well. Sans’ eyelights were gone again, and Tahoma had a hand over his mouth.

“There’s no way,” Sans muttered, grasping Tahoma’s shoulder as he leaned closer to look. “There’s absolutely no way it’s-.”

“Who else would it be, Sans,” Tahoma snapped, making his nephew jerk back. Tahoma sighed.

“I’m… sorry, Sans. I’m just… confused. Worried.” Sans huffed slightly as Tahoma stood. He closed the device, heading back up to the main part of the house.

“Let’s… go. We’ll… discuss this more, tomorrow, after we’ve slept.” Sans tried to protest, but Tahoma didn’t listen to him. Sans frowned, but finally relented and followed him upstairs.

Papyrus was waiting at the table, his usual grin returned to his face.

“I’m starting to feel better! The warm milk helped, I think- come have some!” Sans couldn’t help but give a tired smile.

“Thanks, bro,” Sans mumbled, grabbing the mug meant for him. Tahoma did the same, before going up to the guest room. Papyrus’ grin faltered slightly. When Tahoma’s door shut, he looked to Sans.

“Did… something happen down there?” Sans hesitated slightly, staring at the milk in his mug.

“... Yeah, something did. No one’s… dead, though, if that’s what you mean. We’ll… have to talk about it, tomorrow, Pap. Alright?” Papyrus frowned.

“Sans-.” “We don’t know how to explain it yet, bro. Let… let Tahoma and I talk about it, okay?” His younger brother sighed, before nodding.

“I trust you, brother. You can tell me whenever you’re able to.” Sans thanked his brother, drinking his milk again.

The two were quiet for a while. The next time Papyrus looked up, Sans was asleep at the table. He was leaning back against the chair, mouth open slightly as he snored. Papyrus couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You’re going to wake up sore one day, brother,” he mumbled, picking up his older brother and taking him to his room. He put Sans in his bed, tucking him in.

“Goodnight, brother.” Papyrus returned to his room, smile falling as he shut the door. He sat on his racecar bed, staring at the seashells that decorated a picture frame. The frame held a picture of him, you, and Sans together. Blue was in the background, doing a fortnite dance while Stretch was asleep with balloons stuffed into his bikini. Sans had groucho glasses on, and you were clinging to both of the brothers for the picture.

Papyrus smiled fondly, feeling his sockets water.

“I hope you’re alright,” he muttered, before laying down again. He turned the light off, hoping you were sleeping as easily as he was.


	26. Hell Hath No Fury like a Vampire Scorned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

The next day, Tahoma shook Sans awake roughly. Sans snorted, cracking his sockets open to see his uncle looking at him with a wild, worried expression. He was holding the Soul device in his hands. Sans shot up, waking up faster than he was used to.

“What is it,” Sans asked as Tahoma sat on the bed next to him. Balancing the device in his lap, Tahoma pulled up the screen he was looking at. The orange-white Soul was pulsing and shaking rapidly. New fractures formed and instantly healed themselves continuously. The Souls nearby- Axe and Crooks- showed signs of stress and worry.

The orange-white Soul moved along a small square quickly, as if it was running around and slamming into walls. Sans felt his hands shake, eyelights vanishing completely as the readings appeared on screen.

The power was overwhelming.

With how strong the Soul was, coordinates finally appeared. Tahoma acted quickly, recording the location with a shaky grin.

“We have them.”

Sans swallowed, running a hand over his skull. He looked up as someone walked by, seeing Red shuffling through the hall to the bathroom. Red glanced in, doing a double take when he saw the device in Tahoma’s lap, and Sans’ expression. His grin tensed.

“News?” The uncle and nephew were silent, glancing at each other. Red’s grin instantly fell, and he stomped over. Tahoma didn’t stop him from viewing the scene. Like Sans, Red’s eyelights disappeared. He eyed the coordinates, then began leaving. Sans got out of bed.

“What are you doing?” Red looked back.

“I’m calling Leo. I’m telling him the coordinates,” he growled, hurrying out of the room.

“I’m getting my girl back.”

\------------------------------------

You woke up in a rage.

You couldn’t think. You could barely breathe. Your chest hurt like hell- hurt enough to drive you to beast form. You clawed at your chest, screeching and roaring. You slammed into the walls of your cage, trying to get the pain to stop. Vaguely, you heard the others calling to you- trying to calm you- but you couldn’t register their words.

The guards finally came in when your blankets were torn to shreds. A voice in the back of your mind- crackling and soothing- tried to get you to listen. You roared at the guards, slamming your head against the door anytime they got too close. Not even the shocks from your collar were enough to deter you.

“What the hell do we do,” one of them asked. “If we let it out to subdue it, it’ll go on a rampage!” Axe, being the asshole he was, couldn’t help but snort.

“You guys deserve a rampage.” “Shut it, skeleton.” A buzzing from his collar, and him slumping to the ground, caught your attention.

Somewhere, in your muddled mind, you had a string of thoughts.

Hurt. Friend hurt. Mine mine mine.

You screeched louder, clawing at the door again. The guards turned to glare at you, but their faces fell at the sight of you.

What seemed like tar dripped from your lips instead of slobber, eyes an empty black. The tar puddled around your feet, before absorbing back into your body.

“What the hell is wrong with it-.” You reared your head back, suddenly feeling nauseous. You gagged, coughing harshly. You heaved, throwing up more tar onto the door. You wheezed, the crackling voice returning.

Let us leave, my dear.

Without hesitating, you let out an unholy screech and slammed your paws into the tar. Door weakened from part of it not fully existing, it shattered. The guards screamed, pulling out their weapons. Actual guns.

Before they could shoot at you, you ran at them. You tackled the nearest one, biting into his throat. A guard shot at your side. Tar oozed out of the wounds, mixed with blood. The bullets were pushed out, much to the humans’ horror.

You jumped on that person next, and in the commotion, Sylvi took action.

With no one monitoring her, and their guards lowered, she can use some of her power. Just enough. Her eyes glowed a brighter yellow, and a nearby man slumped slightly as she took control.

“Come here and undo my lock, and my collar,” she whispered, beckoning the man closer. He moved from the fray of angry vampire and fleeing guards, coming to Sylvi’s cage. Her cage was unlocked, and she was freed from her collar. Her demeanor immediately changed, grabbing his pistol and shooting him in the face. She winced as his body fell to the ground, forcing the tears back. She wasn’t going to cry over this monster.

Free from her shackles, her body lifted off of the ground. She zipped over to Axe’s cage, opening it and freeing him from his collar.

“Unlock any of them that isn’t completely feral- we can free the ferals when help arrives. We need people who can recognize the enemy here,” she said loudly, letting Crooks hear as she flew over to unlock his cage.

Sylvi glanced back at you. The guards had fled, aside from the ones dead on the ground. You were staring at her. Slowly, she floated over. She could see something was… wrong. With your aura. With your magic.

She reached out, holding your bloodied, tar-stained cheeks. Tears fell from her eyes, and your ears fell.

“You’re there, right? We haven’t lost you?” You didn’t answer her, save for a small whine.

You can’t, honestly, tell her for sure, yet. Gaster tried to soothe you again, but you can tell that even he was uncertain about the end result.

Sylvi took in a shaking breath when she didn’t get a verbal response.

“Sweetheart, stay with us. I don’t think we- they- can lose you.” She glanced back at the brothers, who were unlocking any monsters that could show they weren’t mindlessly violent.

Slowly, Sylvi let you go. The alarms finally sounded.

“I’m going to find the main office,” Sylvi yelled over the sirens. Axe frowned at her.

“You ain’t goin’ alone!” “You need to help the others here!” You growled, nudging Sylvi’s side. She looked down at you.

“Mine,” you snarled out, looking up at her. She seemed a little surprised, but smiled slightly. Placing a hand on your back, she turned back to Axe. One of the Surface monsters- a wendigo that towered over everyone else- spoke in a hoarse, stilted voice.

“We stay. We fight. You go. Free us.” More monsters- Surface and Underground alike- agreed. Axe and Crooks hurried over to you and Sylvi.

“Like hell we’re leaving you both alone,” Axe said, but he was looking directly at you as he said that. Sylvi didn’t argue, simply led the way. You four ran away before the guards entered the containment area. You could hear the carnage from where you were, though.

With a majority of the facility either dealing with the breach, or in hiding from said breach, you all could make your way through the halls fairly easily.

When you encountered a small patrol, Crooks took to the lead. Bones popped up from the ground, trapping them all in a small area. Axe picked up the slack, killing most of them with his ow attacks. The remaining woman had soiled her pants, staring at you all in horror.

Sylvi took over, floating towards the woman. Her eyes glowed a bright yellow, and the woman stopped shaking. Stopped moving.

“... Let her out, Crooks. She’s going to lead us to the main office.” The woman muttered an agreement. Crooks hesitated, but did as Sylvi said. The woman stumbled out, beginning to walk down the hall. You followed after Sylvi, and the skeletons took up the rear.

Any guards along the way were either forced away, or killed.

When the main office was found, and unlocked, the woman slumped down to the ground. With Sylvi’s hold on her gone, she just sat there. Sylvi hurried into the room. With her gone, Axe killed the woman on the ground.

“Sans-” “All these humans deserve it, Papyrus.” At his tone, Papyrus shut up.

You looked at the dead body, stalking over to it. You bit into the neck, draining the body dry. Axe and Crooks looked away.

“At… least it won’t go to waste-.” “Not now, Pap.” The two skeletons left you to your meal, going to see what Sylvi was doing.

She had found a phone, and managed to get it to call an outside line. Shakily, she rang up Leonardo.

\--------------------------

Leonardo and Alex were examining the Soul device, looking at the coordinates on the screen.

“You’re sure this is… Missy,” Leonardo asked, looking at Tahoma. Tahoma nodded confidently.

“Yes- the color of the Soul, and the fractures, are her’s. These coordinates are definitely the Hunter base.” Red snarled from the couch.

“Then why the hell aren’t we going?” Leonardo sighed.

“Mister Red, I know you’re worried, but if we charge in with no plan, they could die. Or the Hunters could simply move on with them, and we’ll be lost again.” Red growled. Boss gripped his shoulder- both to reel him in, and to attempt to comfort him.

“We’ll get them, don’t-.” Leonardo was cut off by his cell going off. He motioned for Alex to take over, pulling his phone out and walking to the dining room to talk.

“Leonardo speaking.” “Leo- it’s Sylvi!” Leonardo felt his slowed heart nearly stop.

“Sylvi? Where are you?” “Hunter base- Missy and the skeletons are here. There’s been a breach- the Hunters are weak. We need help.” Leonardo clenched his jaw.

“Do you know where the base is located?” “No- Axe says Tahoma should, by now.” Leonardo glanced back at Tahoma, before confirming Axe’s guess.

“We’ll be there shortly with backup. Stay safe, Sylvi.” “Please hurry, Leo. And… bring Red. And any of the others, but… Red is necessary.” Leonardo frowned, asking why. A loud, pained screech came from the background, making him jump.

“Sylvi-.” “She needs him. Please, Leo, hurry.” Leonardo opened his mouth to speak, but couldn’t think of anything to say.

“Alright. We’re on our way.” She hung up, and he did after her. Pocketing his phone, he turned back to the group.

“Alex, get the car ready. Call for backup and meet at those coordinates.” Alex wanted to ask what was going on, btu knew that look on his face. Alex hurried to the car, pulling his phone out along the way. Leonardo turned to the group of monsters.

“Tahoma. You’re a medical doctor, as well?” “Yes, sir.” Leonardo nodded.

“Get in my car. Red-” the short skeleton immediately stood- “you’re coming, as well.” Boss growled.

“You’re not going alone, Red.” “Boss-.” Leonardo snarled, snapping his fingers to catch their attention.

“Three’s the limit- my back seat can hold all of you. The rest of you, stay here and be prepared for updates. You three, in the car.” Boss and Red looked to the others, before following Tahoma out.

Alex unlocked the back doors, letting the skeletons in as he conversed with more of Leonardo’s police force. Leonardo got in the driver's seat, letting Tahoma tell them where to go.

The other skeletons could only watch as Leonardo’s car drove off. Blue and Papyrus felt tears fall from their sockets, their respective brothers patting them on the backs- and a hug, in Blue and Stretch’s case. Sans felt his shoulders droop, running a hand over his skull.

“Hold on, kid,” he muttered. “They’re coming for ya.”


	27. We Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the sudden silence. With the seasons turning, seasonal depression just wrecked my drive to write. I finally got around to it, though! This one's a doozy of a chapter at almost 4 thousand words, I think?
> 
> If it means anything, I was listening to "Sad Machine" by Porter Robinson while writing this, so that kinda set the tone for the fic, imo.

Sylvi was trying to keep on the phone with Alex. Keep talking to let everyone know they were okay. The power went out not ten minutes later.

“Alex- Please-”. Sylvi’s desperation bled through her voice, tears pricking her eyes, as she realized the phone was shut off with the power.

Crooks fell over, after getting scared while trying to get a pair of pants on. Axe’s eyelight lit up the room, the soft red glow giving enough light for the others to see.

Your ears perked, head lifting from your claws as you heard frenzied howls and screeches echo through the building. Faint gunshots followed. Your ears pinned back angrily as Axe shuffled to the door.

“Who do you think cut the lights,” he muttered, glancing back at the small group. “Hunters or Monsters?” 

No one answered.

A low growling caught everyone’s attention. Axe froze, before slowly pressing his skull to the door. Wet crunching could be heard outside, making the skeleton shudder. A feral must have gotten out, and found the dead body outside.

“Looks like we’re gonna be stuck in here, for a while.” The crunching stopped, as Axe spoke. The growling became louder, and the creature outside began scratching at the door.

Everyone stared at the doorway, Sylvi putting a hand on your back when you stood. The scratching increased in ferocity.

“It’s okay- the door should be reinforced-.” Sylvi was cut off as the door slid open. Her eyes widened.

The power being out caused the door to open automatically, and now an angry, hungry werewolf stood outside.

You snarled, stepping forward to block your friends from the drooling beast. You turned your head, looking at Sylvi out of the corner of your eye as the werewolf began sizing you up.

“Get out. Find door.” “We’re not going-” You growled, cutting her off.

“Get. Out.” Without another moment of hesitation, you charged at the werewolf. You tackled him, knocking him to the ground and away from the door.

“GO! OUT!” Axe forced himself to move, grabbing Sylvi’s arm and his brother’s hand. Sylvi protested, but was dragged along with the skeletons.

“What are you doing- we need to help her-!” Loud roaring from both you, and the werewolf, cut her off. Axe looked back at Sylvi, eyelight glowing brightly in anger.

“We’re all too weak, and we gotta get out of here. She’ll… be fine.” His voice didn’t quite hold the confidence needed to ease Sylvi’s nerves.

“We’ll get back to her, but we gotta keep ourselves alive, first.” A screech from you made Sylvi choke back a sob, but she forced herself to move on.

You forced the werewolf onto his back again, finally pinning him in a way that let you get at his neck. When he finally stopped moving, you stood up straight and spit the cursed blood out of your mouth. The bit you did swallow was definitely going to make you sick, later.

If you survived through this, at least.

“You will survive,” the voice in the back of your mind told you, calming you just a bit.

“I will make sure of it, Missy. You will not go without a long damn fight.” You couldn’t help but smile slightly, before beginning to pad through the halls. You would take your time, following after your friends. Giving them a bit of leeway, in case you get cornered.

With the anger subsiding, and some downtime- as down as you could get with faint gunshots and screaming constantly sounding- the ache in your chest slowly began to unwind.

The rage was replaced by exhaustion.

You felt your steps slow, and fall awkwardly. Gaster tried to get you to be aware, but… you were so tired.

Looking ahead let you see a small group of monsters. They were flying, free from the Hunters’ magic-suppressors, and seemed to be wearing knight helmets. They whispered to themselves as they approached you.

“It’s them-” “the one that saved us-” “There’s still hope-!” “Don’t give up, brave one-!”

The small group flitted about as you dropped to the ground, like little fairies as they circled you. A couple of them created little green butterflies. You felt a little better as they landed on you and dissolved into your skin. It didn’t do much to ease the exhaustion, however.

The fairy-like monsters that spawned the butterflies dropped to the ground, focusing all their magic on trying to heal you. The ones in the air circled around, keeping watch and armed with tiny spears made of pure magic. Despite not knowing these creatures, you felt safe as you listened to their comforting murmurs and flitting wings.

Gaster’s protests against sleeping quieted down, now that you weren’t alone. He still tried to get you to stay awake. To find the others.

Your body, however, had a different plan. The last thing you remember were the butterflies and the tiny hands soothing your very soul, before you drifted into a restless sleep.

\---------------

If only Axe, Crooks, and Sylvi were so lucky, however.

They barely managed to avoid being seen by a group of Hunters. The group seemed to be guarding a reinforced doorway- one forced open by the lack of power. Axe’s jaw tightened.

“That has to be some kinda exit,” he mumbled. “We just gotta… get past the guns.” He glanced back his brother, and the watery-eyed Emthrall.

“Any suggestions?” Both were quiet. Crooks offered a wary smile.

“Maybe they’d… be willing to talk?” He knew they wouldn’t, but… he wouldn’t feel right without offering the option. Axe’s glare was all the answer Crooks needed.

“The only way to get through is to shoot first,” Axe growled. Crooks’ sockets widened.

“Brother, you can’t-! Even if you were at full power, it’s too dangerous,” Crooks whispered heatedly, grabbing his brother’s arm forcefully. Axe pulled away, giving his brother a near-desperate look.

“Papyrus, there’s no choice here. We come out with nothing, we’re getting gunned down. I can summon one blaster, and that’ll give us enough of an edge to take ‘em out first.” Crooks’ non-existent throat tightened as he stared down at his older brother. He took a breath, face setting in a stern frown.

“At… least let me guard you, while you charge your blaster.” Axe gave, what he hoped was, a comforting grin. He nodded, stepping back slightly so the two skeletons could get to work. Axe looked back to Sylvi, who looked between the two in confusion.

“When I give the word, you follow Crooks out. Got it?” “What about-?” “We’ll come back for her. We won’t leave without her, we just… need a way out.” Sylvi was quiet, before looking down. Once they had a sure-fire exit, they could… get you out safely.

“Be quick,” she hissed. Axe nodded, looking to Crooks. Crooks’ small eyelights glowed brightly as a tall wall of bones blocked the Hunters from the rest of the hallway. Axe got into position behind the wall as the Hunters began yelling, and tried to bust through the magic barrier.

Axe felt his magic drain rapidly, but he forced himself to stay upright. A cracked Gaster Blaster was summoned at his side, seemingly glitching and spasming to stay in place. Axe raised his hand, motioning for Crooks to lower the wall.

When the bones vanished, Axe wasted no time blasting through the center of the group. He brought his hand forward, pointing two fingers to the door. Crooks knew the signal, and grabbed Sylvi’s hand.

As the hunters were blinded by the sudden blast, Crooks and Sylvi made a mad dash through the door behind them. Before any of the humans could turn to shoot, a new wall of jagged, cracked bones blocked the fleeing monsters from view.

The humans focused on the tired, sweating monster. His hand was raised again, after summoning the wall.

“Your fight’s with me, freaks.” Another blast, but only one of the group got caught in this time. The Blaster vanished after the second shot, Axe not having the energy to keep it up. He wobbled in place, staring down the remaining five humans.

“Looks like it’s not much of a fight,” a woman sneered, raising a pistol. One of the bones from the wall shot out, spearing her arm. With a screech, she dropped the weapon- and her useless limb. Axe gave a grin.

“Just cause I’m a little tired doesn’t mean I ain’t gonna skewer every last one of ya.” A loud screech caught their attention, and a pale blurr shot past Axe. The woman with the bone sticking through her arm was tackled to the ground, stomach immediately torn open by an angry Wendigo. The same one trapped in the room they were in, when this mess began.

A few more monsters appeared. Two Vampires- one with a Beast form, one without- charged at a man. An Emthrall shot through the air, carrying a stolen pistol and shooting wildly at a human that was away from the main group. All of them screamed in an angry frenzy.

Axe took his chance and lowered the bone wall. He redirected the bones at the shocked humans, impaling any that were still alive through the onslaught. The Wendigo looked up, wiping her mouth clean of stray blood and sinew. Axe felt his stomach turn, and he grew dizzy. The smell of blood brought back to many memories, too fast. He was too weak to stand, and ended up falling onto his back. His hands shook, and his legs felt like lead.

The two vampires returned to his side, the humanoid helping him onto the beast’s back.

“We go,” the Wendigo wheezed, but Axe grunted loudly. He waved his hand, signalling they couldn’t, as he forced himself to sit up. Despite the nausea growing, he made himself speak.

“M… we gotta… find the kid.” If the Vampire carrying him cared that he was nearly tearing their fur out to keep a grip on reality, they didn’t show it. He was grateful.

The Wendigo took a second to think, before realization crossed their beady eyes. She nodded, turning to the Emthrall. She ran her claws along their tear-stained cheek.

“You run. Safe. I help find.” The Emthrall hesitated, before hugging the Wendigo tightly. The creature crooned lovingly. When the Emthrall chased after Crooks and Sylvi, she turned back to Axe.

“Where we go?” Axe dropped back down against the Vampire’s back, pointing a shaking finger in the right direction. Despite what he just saw, he trusted the Wendigo to take the lead. He just… couldn’t stay upright, anymore. The Wendigo took the front, and the humanoid Vampire took the rear, shielding the weakened skeleton from potential dangers.

“We go.”

\------------------

The darkened halls were almost impossible to navigate, through this section of the facility. This must be a hidden part- to hide the entrance from potential police forces. Or to hide the exit from escaping monsters.

Crooks and Sylvi finally stopped to catch their breath. They listened closely, hearing only very faint roaring, screeching, and gunshots. No more Gaster Blaster blasts, though. That worried Crooks, but he trusted Axe to get out alive.

“Where should we go, Miss Sylvi?” He looked down at the Emthrall. She ran a hand down her face, rubbing her tired eyes. She paused as she felt something familiar nearby. She looked up, eyes widening.

“The magic-blocking material must be weaker out here,” she mumbled, floating up a little higher. A faint pull at her energy called to her- a deep worry she knew anywhere.

“Alex,” she choked. She grasped Crooks’ hand tightly, pulling him along. “If Alex is here, so is Leonardo. We need- we have to get out of here.” Fueled by the aspect of escape- of help- they moved as fast as they could.

Many of the halls stopped in dead ends, but while Crooks was getting frustrated, Sylvi tried her best to keep a level head. Getting angry would only get them more lost.

The two stopped in their pursuit of freedom, Sylvi forcing Crooks to take a breather and calm himself.

While he rested, she closed her eyes and concentrated. She could tell they were closer to the exit- the feeling was much more stable. Less like a phone cutting in and out during bad reception.

The two jerked up in shock when they heard a door forced open. Familiar voices were arguing, and Crooks brightened up. The skeleton and Emthrall took off towards the noise.

“You are NOT going in there by yourselves,” Leonardo growled. “We brought you here for your charge, but you are still civilians-.” “I was the leader of my King’s royal guard, and Sans was my partner. We are far from civilians, Vampire!” Alex was trying to break up the two, when they were interrupted by a warning that two monsters were coming out. They all looked towards the door, Alex’s eyes widening when the bright yellow caught his eye.

“Mom-!” He ran over, Sylvi nearly barreling him over as she held onto her son. Tears fell down her cheeks as she reached up to hold his face.

“Oh- Alex, you can’t believe how happy I am to see you-.” Crooks was escorted to a nearby ambulance, and was being tended to. While Leonardo and Alex got the story from Sylvi, Tahoma, Red, and Boss hurried to Crooks. Tahoma shooed the paramedic away, claiming that he was more fit to care for the skeleton. Which, to be fair, was true.

“Where’s Missy, and Axe,” Red blurted, nearly scaring Crooks. The large skeleton flinched as Tahoma began tending to wounds, looking down at the ground.

“They… are still inside. Missy was- was fighting off a Werewolf, so we could find an exit. Axe… had to stay behind to let Miss Sylvi and I escape.” Red’s eyelights vanished, and Boss kept a tight grip on his shoulder.

“Red-” the short skeleton looked back up- “she’s hurt. Something is… wrong. She might- she-... she might not be all there, when you find her.” Red felt his chest tighten, and his Soul beat faster. Boss’ free fist clenched, and he let go of Red’s coat. He stomped over to Leonardo.

“We are soldiers. We are her guardian, and our… cousin, is in there. We are going in after them, whether you allow us or not. We know how not to interfere with an investigation- we will only retrieve them and bring them back out.” Leonardo growled in annoyance, before calling over two officers.

“Escort these two inside. You are to bring back any sentient creatures in there- if they are feral, tranquilize them and move on, a squad will be sent in to rescue them. If they are too injured to move, one of you will do what you can and report it. Your primary goal is a Gangrel, and another Skeleton monster.” The officers nodded, grabbing their weapons and tranquilizers, before hurrying after the skeletons that had already begun to walk in. Alex followed, despite Leonardo’s protests.

“I’ll keep an eye on them- if something is wrong, I can try and keep things under control.” Leonardo hesitated, before nodding. The older vampire wrapped his coat around Sylvi, taking her over to the paramedics.

“Be careful,” Sylvi called out, voice wavering as she watched the group disappear into the looming warehouse.

In the facility proper, the halls smelled of gore and the dead. Boss covered his nasal cavity with his scarf, and Red grimaced. They stepped over the mangled bodies at the entrance. One of the officers examined the bodies.

“Wendigo, and Vampire. But, they didn’t do more than kill them. Hopefully they aren’t feral,” the woman said, shuddering slightly as she stood fully. The skeletons barely paid her any attention as they continued on. Red spied scattered bones and bone shards on the ground.

“This must’ve been where Axe was,” he muttered, looking down the long hall ahead of them. A small figure hobbled towards them, the sound of childish crying reaching them. Red nearly wanted to throw up when the group approached a young, scared Werewolf. Barely eight years old, and couldn’t even control her transformations. She was half wolfed out, fur coming from her human-like face and hunched over on odd legs.

She nearly screamed at the sight of the group, almost running in a separate direction, before Alex stepped forward.

“Hey… it’s okay. I know you’re scared, but we’re here to get you out. Are… were you here with anyone?” The girl hesitated, shaking her head. She sobbed as she wobbled over, favoring her left leg over her right.

“I wanna go home- I want my mommy!” Alex ran a hand over her head as she clung to his leg, before motioning one of the officers over.

“This man is gonna take you outside- let some nice people help with your leg, and we can get in touch with your mommy, okay?” She nodded, slowly letting Alex go to let the officer pick her up. Alex sent the man off, turning back to the skeletons with a pained frown.

“Fuckers,” he muttered, glancing at the dead Hunters near the door, before moving on. Red shared the anger Alex felt. You’re already scum if you kidnap innocent people to torture them. You’re downright evil if you kidnap children for your sick experiments.

Bloody swipes along the wall caught their attention as they moved further in.

“... Someone was marking their path. They must’ve made these to find the exit. Maybe the Wendigo?” A loud wail cut through the air, and everyone flinched at the noise.

“That’s definitely the Wendigo, at least,” the remaining officer said, pulling out her tranquilizer gun. Alex took the lead, taking them through the halls towards the fighting noise.

They first saw Axe propped against a wall, and a Wendigo fighting off a group of Hunters that remained. Thankfully, it wasn’t Missy. Red would’ve had a heart attack. An injured beast Vampire sat in front of Axe, ready to defend if need be. A humanoid Vampire lay to the side, either unconscious or… okay, she moved, she’s alive.

Alex and the officer rushed in, weapons at the ready. The beastial Vampire on the ground growled weakly, before realizing they weren’t coming towards Axe.

Alex shifted to his own beast form, hurrying to pin down and knock out the Hunters. The Wendigo, however, wasn’t as kind. The officer, thinking she was feral, shot a few tranquilizers into her back. Axe winced, calling out to be careful with her, before turning to the two remaining skeletons. Red and Boss rushed forward, eyeing the injured Vampire guarding Axe. The exhausted skeleton gave a tense grin.

“You two are late as hell,” he mumbled, dropping his skull back against the wall. The dizziness still hadn’t faded, and Red could tell what was wrong.

“You fucking used your Blaster, didn’t you?” “Had do. They had to get out.” Red rubbed his tired sockets with a thumb and finger. He looked to the injured Vampire.

“Can you carry him out?” A hesitant nod was his answer, before he nodded to the woman on the ground.

Boss and Red helped get both the woman, and Axe, onto his back. The Vampire forced himself to stand.

“You were at the door, right?” Another nod. “You go back there. You get out and get them to the paramedics.” Axe grabbed Red’s coat.

“Tell ‘em the Wendigo ain’t feral. She’s good. And… the kid was last near the main office, back that way,” he huffed, jabbing a thumb towards the office.

“Was in a fight with a feral wolf. That’s… all I know.” Axe let Red go. Then, promptly passed out. Red sighed slightly, letting the Vampire go on his way.

The Hunters were restrained- or dead- when Alex returned to the skeletons’ side.

“Axe said the Wendigo’s good- not feral.” Alex couldn’t help but grimace upon the realization, looking down at the passed-out creature.

“I’m… sure she’ll understand,” Alex muttered, trying to make himself not feel terrible about the situation. The woman turned red, apologizing profusely. Red snarled, he and Boss going towards the main office.

“You can apologize later. I’m finding my girl.” Boss gave him an odd look, but didn’t make a comment. Alex told the woman to stay back with the group of hunters and call for Leo, going after the skeletons.

The further in they went, the more eerily quiet it became. Only faint snarls from various creatures were here, along with the rare gunshot to signal that hunters were still alive and kicking. Boss summoned a bone spear, holding it in the hand that wasn’t grasping Red’s shoulder.

Boss would never admit it, but Red could tell he was terrified.

Red, discreetly, reached up to grip Boss’ hand. The younger brother tensed, before pulling his hand away. Not out of anger, but embarrassment. Red looked up, seeing Boss staring straight ahead. Red stuck his hands back into his pockets with a small sigh.

Small fluttering caught their attention, and they came across the source not a moment later.

A group of Whimsalot were guarding a downed Vampire. She was wheezing, gazing at the wall with a vacant expression. The Whimasalot were far from her, but close enough to defend her. Red pushed past Alex.

“Missy-.” Your eyes snapped to his sockets, pupils slit. Tar dripped from your mouth, and your SOUL- not that anyone but the Underground Monsters could see it.

“Oh, sweetheart, what the hell happened to you,” Red muttered, stepping closer. You snarled loudly, standing. You stumbled on your feet, but stared him down. Red swallowed.

“Come on, it’s me- we don’t gotta go through this again, do we?” He smiled nervously, holding a hand out to you. You paused, ears twitching like someone was talking to you.

He watched you take a shaky breath, before moving past the group of Whimsalot. As you approached, your body began to shift back to its’ human form. Slowly, you stood as you changed, stumbling towards Red and Boss.

When you were in his reach, you broke down. You dropped to the ground, clinging to Red as tightly as you could. You sobbed into his shirt as he slipped his jacket off of himself. He wrapped you up in it, nearly clinging to you in return. Boss put a hand on your back as Alex pulled out a walkie talkie to tell Leo you had been found.

“We got you, Missy,” Red murmured, face relaxing in a tired grin. He let out a small breath relief, the constant tightness in his ribcage finally easing away.

“I want out,” you gurgled, coughing up some of the tar. Red ignored the fact his shirt was gonna be stained- that could be replaced.

“That’s why we are here,” Boss grunted, leaning down to unwind your hands from Red’s torso. The taller skeleton lifted you, and you happily held onto him. Boss couldn’t help the red flush from gracing his features.

“First priority is getting you some pants, though.” You were silent for a moment, before giving a quiet laugh. Boss let out an amused huff, following Alex back towards the exit.

You reached out- reaching for Red’s hand. Red caught on quickly, grasping your outstretched hand tightly.

“We got you, kid,” he said. “And like hell we’re lettin’ you go, again.”


	28. We Need to Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm currently taking writing commissions! Come to my tumblr's commission page- itsthesinbin.tumblr.com/commission-info - for prices and rules! 
> 
> You can message me directly through tumblr, twitter (buttbuttbrigade), or email me at taylorthewritingqueen@gmail.com (this is a strictly business email so please do not send anything other than commission inquiries)!

You felt like nothing was going to be the same.

When you finally returned home, you were bombarded by Papyrus and Blue. Sans and Stretch seemed to avoid your gaze, however. Red and Boss were quiet, and Tahoma was more tense than usual.

While you were busy dealing with two crying skeletons- quickly turning to three as Crooks joined in the group hug- you missed Red going upstairs. You only caught him as he ascended the final few steps, getting out of your sight.

Before you could get worried, Blue and Papyrus pulled you to the couch. Crooks limped to your side, almost refusing to leave you alone. Blue immediately ran off, going to get you some water, food, and blood. You tried to stop him- you had eaten on the way here- but he would hear none of it. You let out an amused huff as Papyrus sat next to you.

Stretch and Sans stayed off over to the side, Tahoma and Axe joining them in a quiet conversation. Boss excused himself, saying he’s going to change clothes, and then hurried up after his brother. You wrapped Red’s jacket around yourself tightly, wondering what’s gotten into everyone all of a sudden. You kinda thought… everyone would be a lot happier.

“We’re so glad you’re back,” Papyrus cried, hugging you tightly again. You grunted slightly, and he he pulled back.

“I’m so sorry-.” You reached over, patting his hand with a small smile.

“It’s alright. I’m just… sore. I don’t mind a good hug, though.” You didn’t miss the small bit of color that reached Papyrus’ bones, before he grinned.

“Well, you can be assured that you will have a lot of affection in the future! If, eh… if it’s alright-?” You were a little surprised at how sheepish he sounded. Maybe he was a bit put off by what’s recently happened, and didn’t want to overwhelm you?

Either way, it was sweet.

“Of course it’s alright,” you laughed, a loud purr coming from your chest. Papyrus seemed to freeze up for a second, before abruptly standing.

“I- I just remembered I, ah… have something for you! In my room! I’ll go get it!” Before you could say anything, he dashed up the stairs. Your smile fell. You didn’t have too much time to dwell on it, though, as Blue appeared with your promised food and liquids. You eyed the stairs as Blue babbled about how happy everyone was to have you back.

Maybe you could figure out what was wrong, later.

\----------------------

Papyrus passed by Red’s room, hearing the angry skeleton growling to himself. He knows he shouldn’t eavesdrop, but-.

“Can’t believe you’re gonna do this to her, you fucking asshole. She just went through all that shit, and you’re gonna get all selfish?” Yeah, that needed some addressing.

With a hesitant knock on the door, Papyrus entered the room. Red had all but torn his tar-stained shirt apart, knowing it was ruined anyway, and was staring at the black smudge on the cloth angrily. His cracked and chipped bones were on display, and Papyrus cleared his throat in embarrassment.

Red whirled around, sockets widening. He threw the torn shirt away, going to his clothes pile to get a new one. A scowl was hard-set on his face.

“What is it, Creampuff? Shouldn’t you be down there with her?” Papyrus ignored his harsh words, shutting the door behind him.

“What are you going to do, Red?” The shorter skeleton paused at the accusatory tone, never having heard it come from Papyrus before. At least, not this Papyrus. Red growled, nearly tearing holes in another shirt as he pulled it on.

“Nothing. Get out, Creampuff.” “... Not until you tell me what you were talking to yourself about. If it involves Missy, I deserve to know. I’m her guardian, as well.” Red didn’t turn around, staring down at the ground angrily.

“... I’m a fucked guy, Papyrus. I go in there to get her out, and all I can think about is-,” he hesitated, shoulders drooping. His fists clenched.

“She’s been through so much shit, and all I can think about is how she’s mine. How much I want her to stay with me. All I’d do to keep her from leaving again.” Papyrus frowned.

“I don’t understand? We all want her here.” Red snarled, running a hand over his skull.

“No, you idiot. Not just… in a friendly way. In a way-more-than-friendly way,” was Red’s quiet response. Shame filled his posture. The realization dawned on Papyrus.

“I… don’t see how having romantic feelings is a bad thing, Red-.” The other skeleton snarled, straightening up and turning to look Papyrus in the eye.

“Papyrus, she’s not well. I don’t-” he sighed- “I don’t want to take advantage of her. What if she only says yes cause she thinks it’s the only way to stay here? What if I’m just… getting off on a power trip, and when she’s better I’ll just kick her to the curb?” Papyrus frowned, crossing his arms.

“If that was your intention, I doubt you’d be worried about it, Red. You can’t just… You can’t bottle this up!” Red let out an annoyed huff.

“I care about her, too, Red-” the short skeleton jerked his head back up, eyelights shrinking- “Yes, in the same way. It’s been on my mind since… she was kidnapped.” Papyrus stared Red down, a tired smile working its’ way onto his face.

“Are you really that surprised?” Red was quiet, before his posture slumped again.

“She’d be better off with you-.” Papyrus clicked his teeth together.

“Now don’t say that! I run the same risk of her thinking the same things- the worry that she’ll only say yes because she feels obligated to,” Papyrus informed. Red frowned at the way he said it- a hint of worry, but near as much as in Red’s own voice.

“You don’t sound too upset about the idea.” No accusatory tone, though. Red knew that, while Papyrus was nowhere near as naive or innocent as people believe, he wasn’t the kind of guy to take advantage of people. Red was nowhere near worried Papyrus would be an ass about anything. Not like he might be.

“Because I’m going to find the best way to make sure she knows it’s up to her. I don’t know if my… dating manual… covers this kind of thing, but it’s worth a read!” Red was stunned as Papyrus’ usual vigor and energy returned. His signature smile reappeared.

“We’ve helped her this far, and should she decide to turn one of us down, we just have to let her know that there are no consequences to it! We let her know the decisions are hers’ to make, that nothing happens without her say-so, and there shouldn’t be… many problems.” Papyrus faltered near the end, smile wavering slightly.

You were not in a mentally healthy place. He understood that. He knows that, no matter what, there will be insecurities and doubt. There WILL be problems, but… he’s hoping he can reduce them to a minimum, and avoid unnecessary ones.

“Things are more complicated than you think, Papyrus.” Papyrus’ smile fell, before returning in an attempt to make a joke.

“Well, I am the best a complicated situations-.” “This isn’t a damn joke!” Papyrus jumped a little.

“... Red. I’ve been helping her as long as you have. I know as much as you do about how she is. And I feel we can approach this in a healthy way.” The joking tone was gone, and Papyrus was clearly growing annoyed. That thought alone kind of freaked out Red. Papyrus never got annoyed.

“If you’re that worried, maybe talking to a professional might help- Miss Sylvi would probably be happy to talk about Missy, when she’s recovered. For now… I’m going to get the gift I made, and go back to spend time with Missy. You can either stay up here, or rejoin us when you’re comfortable doing so.” Papyrus didn’t give him a chance to respond. He left quickly, shutting the door behind him. Not quite slamming, but with enough anger behind it that he might as well have.

Red stared at the door, letting Papyrus’ words, and advice, sink in. Slowly, he glanced at his phone. He did have Sylvi’s number... 

After a long moment of contemplation, he sat down on his bed, grabbing his phone. He glared at the text screen, tapping the sides of the device with his thumbs as he thought. Hesitantly, he typed a message.

Let me know when you’re up for a serious talk. I need some help- not with Missy. Just between you and me.

He dropped the phone on the bed, flopping back afterwards. He really hoped he didn’t make a mistake.

\-------------------

When Papyrus finally returned, Axe and Crooks had left the cabin in favor of their own. The remaining skeletons had set up new puzzles and traps, making it harder for humans to get to their home. Blue still had tried to get them to stay, but Axe just wanted his own bed.

Blue, of course, was glued to your side. Tahoma had retreated to his room, by now. Sans and Stretch had made themselves more comfortable around the living room, visibly relaxed and finally talking with their previously-missing housemate. Papyrus felt himself relax, as well, knowing how tense his brother and alternate self was.

Papyrus came over, holding a small box. You looked at it curiously, taking it. Everyone brightened up as you opened it.

It was a small white heart pendant, hung upside down to mimic a Monster’s Soul. It was your Soul’s color, however. No cracks, just a vibrant orange.

“It’s magic,” Sans explained as you put it on. “It’ll react to your Soul as long as you wear it. If you’re in danger, or go into an episode, we’ll know. We’ll be able to find you- if you want to be found. If not, it won’t activate.” You stared at the little heart in amazement.

“It was Pap’s idea. He, Tahoma, and I worked on it.” You smiled slightly as Papyrus sat on your free side. You leaned against the tall skeleton. He suppressed the squeak that wanted to come out.

“Thank you, guys. I… really appreciate it.” Papyrus wrapped an arm around you, feeling his cheekbones heat up. He thought back on his conversation with Red, and tightened his grip a bit. He was determined not let you feel like anyone was taking advantage of you.

But, he definitely knew now wasn’t the time to bring any heavy subjects up. He’ll stick to reviewing is dating manual, for now.

You shifted slightly, mind drifting back to the past events. The dreams, the facility, the recovered memories…

You gripped the jacket tightly again, tensing against Papyrus’ side. Sans could see something was up. His grin faltered.

“Something up, kid?” You hesitated. You think… now’s a good time to talk to them about it.

Before you could open your mouth, there was a knock at the door. Blue stood, hurrying to open the door. Dianna stood on the other side, holding a box that contained large containers of food.

“I heard she came back from Ordelia- I just wanted to bring by some food, cause I imagine you guys are just too tired to cook.” Papyrus gave a grateful smile as he stood and approached. He took the box happily.

“Thank you, Miss Dianna!” She nodded, a small smile on her face.

“Of course. There’s also some extra blood in there for her. We had some extra, so my husband let me bring some over.” Another thank you from Papyrus, and he moved to go take the food to the kitchen.

“I won’t overstay my welcome, don’t worry. I know you all need to unwind,” she hefted her bag further onto her shoulder.

“That sounds fun! Maybe near Halloween?” Her face fell.

“Uh… he gets a little weird around Halloween. Oh! Christmas party! We’ll be leaving for Thanksgiving for a little while, but we’ll definitely be around for Christmas! We can make cookies.” An excited “COOKIES?” came from the kitchen, making Stretch bark out a laugh. Dianna giggled slightly.

“Sounds like a plan, it seems. You guys have my number- call if you need anything.” Blue bid her goodbye. Faintly, he heard her call out to a “big baby”, saying that he needed to stop being a shy bastard. Blue glanced outside, seeing a large Monster sitting on the edge of the property. Too hidden to really make out, all Blue could tell was that it was most likely another beast-like vampire. Something didn’t sit right, seeing the two walk off, though.

Maybe he can talk to his brother about it, later.

“Well, we were already gonna have a Christmas party, this year. Guess we just got two more guests,” Sans huffed, amused. Blue nodded, a little distracted as he sat back down. Stretch gave his brother a look, but Blue shook it off. Private conversation, was all Blue’s glance said. Stretch gave a small nod, leaning back in his chair.

You wrung your hands, catching Sans’ attention again. Right- he had asked if something was wrong.

“Kid?” You looked up, seeing the worry in his eyelights. You took in a breath. Everyone gave you more attention, sensing how serious you became.

“We… need to talk.”


	29. Who I Am.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm currently taking writing commissions! Come to my tumblr's commission page- itsthesinbin.tumblr.com/commission-info - for prices and rules!
> 
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You had to wait until the next day to talk to everyone. You really wanted Axe and Crooks to be here, because they deserved to know.

Red sat to your left side, Papyrus on your right. Blue was distributing drinks to everyone, before finally settling down next to his brother. You wrung your hands, before picking at your favorite blanket that hung around your shoulders.

Papyrus wrapped an arm around you, giving you an encouraging grin. You couldn’t help but smile slightly.

When everyone was settled, all eye sockets fell onto you.

“We’re ready when you are, kid,” Sans told you, a comforting smile on his face. You took a small breath, nodding slightly.

“I wanted… to talk about what happened. Before I came here, and… why you guys became a target…” Your voice grew quiet, less confident, as you spoke. Axe’s eyelight shrunk slightly, but Crooks smiled.

“You know we don’t blame you-.” “I know. But… it is my fault. Not because I did anything, but… because you know me.” Crooks grew quiet. Confused.

“Before I came here… I was in another Hunter base. Don’t… I don’t know how long. Long enough to miss Monsters appearing, and people being… free to live their lives.” You looked down. When you were captured, from what you remember, Supernaturals were still forced to hide among humans. There was no Werewolves walking out of disguise or Vampires openly buying from blood banks. That would’ve been a death sentence.

“They… Everything Hunters do, they say it’s for “the good of humanity”. Wanting to wipe us out. What they actually do is experiment on us,” you gripped your blanket, “hurt us.” You swallowed thickly. Red patted your arm in an attempt to soothe you. It helped more than he probably thought it would.

“They find ways to… hurt us more. Kill us easier. From what I remember, I was… invaluable.” Sans, Red, and Stretch exchanged a look. Hesitantly, Stretch asked what you meant.

“Well… now I have an idea why, but… they said I was unique. My blood was really different from other Vampires’. Everything about me was different. I could… help find, and fight, others like me, if they tested their weapons on me.” Red gripped the couch with his free hand, suppressing a growl. Fuckers.

“Ordelia explained why I’m different. The man that turned me- Gerasimos- is… an ancient Vampire. One of the first created. His blood is- is in me,” you said, grasping at your chest where the old, faded scars sat.

“I’m… we’re stronger than most, apparently. Ordelia thinks… we might not be able to die. They wanted to see if using me would help them figure out how to kill us.” Axe let out a deep snarl, making you jump. Crooks put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

“The facility I was in was overrun. Some of us broke out- I… don’t remember how. A lot of my time there is… really fuzzy. I tried to run, but was tranquilized and brought to a hospital. I ran from there, and… found you guys.” You smiled slightly.

“The stretch there is history.” Some of the boys let out small laughs or smiles. You leaned against Papyrus, and he tightened his grip on your shoulders.

“I was… hoping they wouldn’t be able to find me. Follow me. I should’ve… said something about it sooner. We might’ve been able to do something about that and… wouldn’t have gotten captured-.” Red put a hand on your leg, grabbing your attention. He gave you a harsh, but caring, look.

“Hey. You were scared. It ain’t your fault. Don’t sit there and blame yourself.” You looked back down, and he ducked his head so you could see him out of the corner of your eye.

“I mean it, little Missy.” You couldn’t help the smile that stretched across your face, making Red chuckle. He sat back up, moving the hand from your leg to rub your back.

“Knowing what I do, now, I’m… not too surprised they came after me. Seeing extra monsters was a plus, but… just knowing me, you guys became targets. I… don’t know if they’ll stop coming after me.” Sans sat up a little more, grin dropping into a more serious look.

“Like hell they’ll get you again,” he huffed. “Talked to Leonardo about it- he’s got cameras set up around the woods, and we get the feed here. Also got some of his officers gonna patrol, for a while.” Papyrus nodded in confirmation. Despite their assurances, you didn’t… feel like it’d end well. That could just be the paranoia talking, however. You really hoped it was the paranoia talking.

Tahoma, who had been absolutely silent the entire time, finally spoke up.

“What about what happened during your time in the recent facility,” he asked. “The… tar. And the influx of magic energy.” You faltered, clutching your chest defensively. Something- someone- in the back of your mind told you to keep silent about it. At least, while in the company of the entire group.

“I… don’t know” was all you said. You avoided looking at him, feeling slightly queasy for some reason. Nerves, maybe. Tahoma hummed.

“Well, I’d like to stay for a while longer and… monitor your situation, just in case it has negative effects. Maybe figure out what caused it.” His voice held an underlying accusatory tone, making you frown. Did he know you were lying? Did he know about Gaster?

“Yeah, kid, it’d… be a good idea for Tahoma to keep an eye on ya.” You remained quiet. You didn’t think it was a good idea. But, everyone else seemed to be on Tahoma’s side. Reluctantly, you nodded, which made Tahoma stand.

“Alright. I’ll set up my equipment, and I’ll bring you to the basement tomorrow to run a couple tests.” Sans frowned slightly as he watched Tahoma go.

“Thought we agreed not to use the basement.” “Well, that was before your friend developed the powers she did.” You curled in on yourself slightly, waiting for Tahoma to leave. When the basement door shut, you growled.

“What’s his problem?” Sans sighed, leaning back in his chair.

“He’s just… worried. Don’t worry- I’ll make sure he doesn’t go overboard.” You didn’t feel any better about the idea of what was to come tomorrow night. Sans got up, stretching slightly.

“That bein’ said… mind if I talk to ya in private?” You paused, feeling Papyrus’ arm slip from your shoulder to go prepare dinner for everyone. The other skeletons dispersed as well, aside from Sans and Red.

“What about,” Red asked. He’s been glued to your side after he changed, yesterday, and was very reluctant to let you be alone. Even going to the bathroom made him worry. You thought it was kinda cute.

Sans stared Red down, posture relaxed but eyelights holding something serious. You glanced between the two, growing more and more nervous. Slowly, you stood, making Red break the staring contest he was having with his alternate self.

“I’ll… be back,” you told Red, heading over to Sans. Instinctively, you grabbed Sans’ hand. A small growl rose from Red’s ribcage, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he just stood and went up to his room.

Faintly, you heard him muttering to himself. All you could hear was “get a grip, asshole” before he was out of hearing range. You stared up after him, shoulders drooping in worry. Sans tugged on your hand, pulling you back to the present.

“He’ll be fine. He’s just a big worry wart,” he joked, taking you out front. He shut the door behind you two, taking you a swinging bench that was out in the front yard. He sat down, patting the seat next to him. Hesitantly, you settled next to him. Without thinking, you began moving the swing slightly.

“About what Tahoma wants,” Sans started, “it’s… complicated. But, I need you to answer me honestly. What do you know about the… tar issue.” You stopped swinging, staring off into the trees.

“... Was it caused by someone,” he asked, but in a way that says he has a good idea what the answer is. Like he knows someone else was in control of that part of you. You wrung your hands again.

“You won’t be mad, will you,” you muttered, voice quiet. You saw Sans tense slightly, before forcing himself to relax. He grabbed your hand, holding it between both of his. A thing he tended to do with both you, and Papyrus, when one of you was upset.

“Of course not, kid.” You hesitated, holding onto one of his hands. Chewing on the inside of your cheek, you took a breath to calm yourself.

“I’ve… been having dreams, and have… been able to talk to Gaster.” The grip on your hand tightened as Sans stilled. You didn’t let it deter you. He needed to know.

“He said… something about my magic making me able to contact him. That it was really strong, if… passive.” You glanced at him, gauging his reaction. His eyelights were gone, and he was staring straight ahead.

“When we were trapped, Gaster gave me a choice to… have him use his magic to tap into my own. Our Souls are… sorta fused, I think? He said it was possible it’d go really badly, but… I didn’t want to make everyone stay in that horrible place,” you said, voice growing to a growl as you reached the end of your explanation.

“Is that why our Souls reacted that way,” Sans mumbled, catching your attention. You gave him a curious look, silently asking what he meant.

“When… that happened, most likely, Tahoma, Papyrus and I felt like our Souls were… they hurt, a lot.” He didn’t quite know how to explain what he felt, he just knew it hurt like hell.

“He let me use his magic to help us escape, and now we’re-” “connected,” Sans finished. You nodded, holding onto Sans’ hand. The skeleton sighed.

“Alright. That’s all we need to know. I promise, we’re not upset with you- cause I know you’re gonna think we are. You did what you thought was right, and I… do trust Gaster. He’ll keep you safe.” You felt a little better, knowing they weren’t upset.

“We just need to make sure it isn’t gonna backfire,” Sans assured, to which you nodded. That was understandable.

“... No one else is gonna know about this, right?” Sans paused, before shaking his head.

“No. No one else needs to know. All they’ll know is if you’re okay or not.” Okay… Okay, you could handle that. You relaxed, Sans finally letting your hand go.

The two of you sat in silence, just enjoying the scenery. The unease in your chest loosened, finally, knowing that Sans wasn’t angry with you accepting Gaster’s help.

After a while, Papyrus called you both in for dinner. Thankfully it was uneventful. Everyone enjoyed the food, cracked some jokes, and got yelled at for said jokes. Red seemed a bit distant, but you chalked that up to him being tired from recent events. You know you certainly haven’t had the same energy as before.

When you went to bed that night, Red decided he was going to stay up a bit longer. He grabbed his phone, heading out as you settled in the small twin bed that was pushed up against the other wall in Red’s room. You frowned slightly, brow furrowing in confusion. Red never passed up the chance to sleep- why leave?

“Where are you going?” Red paused at the door, before turning with a nervous grin that he attempted to make look reassuring.

“I just… gotta make a call, before I go to bed. I’ll be back in a bit, just… head to sleep, alright?” You hesitated, before nodding. He hurried out, shutting the door behind him. You curled up on the bed, staring at the door. To say you were worried was an understatement. Red’s been acting weird since you returned home, but you didn’t know how to ask him about it.

As you fell asleep, you thought you could ask Gaster for help.

“He will be alright” was what you heard when you became aware. You opened your eyes, finding yourself in the bright room with the single figure sitting in the middle. You made your way over, sitting in front of him as usual. He smiled at you in greeting.

“Do you… know everything I think about, now?” You couldn’t help but ask. He slowly nodded.

“Yes, but… normally I will try not to pry into it. I only pay attention if I know you are thinking of talking to me.” Okay good. He didn’t need to know what you think about when you’re turned on.

“You’re not mad I told Sans about you,” you asked slowly, looking down at your hands. He brought his hands up, holding your cheeks and lifting your head.

“No, my dear, I’m not mad. It’s better he knows, should something happen.” He let you go after you nodded, putting his hands back in his lap. Hesitantly, he sighed.

“They… may try to bring up using their machine to bring me back. I… don’t think doing it is a good idea, Missy. It’s too dangerous.” You kept quiet, biting your lip. You wanted to help him.

“... You are a sweet woman. I know you care- you want to bring me out of here, just like they do, but… My time among monsters is done.” You sagged slightly, a helplessness spreading through you. Gaster pulled you into a hug.

“I want to, at least, figure out a way to talk to you whenever I want, instead of just… going to sleep.” He hummed thoughtfully, grabbing your hands.

“I think I have an idea… Would you like to learn to tap into your magic, my dear?” Your eyes popped open in surprise, making him laugh. You nodded eagerly, bouncing in your seat.

“Alright. First, let’s teach you how to meditate- which could also help your anxiety. Sound good?” You nodded again, straightening to pay closer attention him.

For the first time in a while, you actually felt like something good was happening.


	30. Little Missy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small filler chapter to give everyone a break from all the Chaos for a lil bit. Dedicated to melodyrider, one of my most loyal readers <3

Red has been kind of… avoiding you, for a couple days. And man, he’s felt like shit about it. Boss finally got on his ass, telling him to get over whatever it is and help him take care of you. Everyone else had to leave for their own work or chores, so it was just the two darker brothers left to help you recover.

First, though, they needed to find you.

When Red went to search for you for breakfast, you weren’t in your bed. He assumed you were meditating again- which was a weird habit you seemed to have picked up out of nowhere- and began the trek to the rooftop overlook. You tended to sit out there during meditation, as the noise inside broke your concentration easily.

Much to his surprise, you weren’t there either. His brow creased, confused and worried. Where the hell could you be?

Climbing back down to the main floor, he passed Boss in the kitchen.

“You seen Missy?” Boss paused, looking over his shoulder at his brother. He frowned.

“She isn’t in bed?” When Red shook his skull, Boss’ frown deepened. He turned away from the stove, making sure nothing would burn, before humming slightly in thought.

“Roof?” “Nope.” “Bathroom?” “Empty.” The two stood there quietly, growing more worried by the second. In Red’s case, irrationally worried.

“I’m… gonna go look out back,” he said, shuffling towards the back door. Boss watched him, seeing Red’s face contort into a deep frown. The younger brother crossed his arms, sighing slightly.

His big brother was a big baby.

When Red went outside, he immediately went towards your little shelter. You still use it, from time to time, just when you need to be alone or need some quiet. You don’t stay out here overnight, anymore, though.

Maybe you’re meditating out here?

He stepped up to the door, ready to knock, but… hesitated.

What if you don’t wanna be bothered? What if you’re angry he’s been avoiding you? What if-?

Small squeaking from inside the shelter caught his attention. His hand dropped slightly, before knocking firmly on the door.

“Missy? You, uh… you in there? You alright?” More squeaking, slightly louder. His jaw clenched slightly, and he opened the door without waiting for another response.

Empty. The space was empty. You weren’t sitting there meditating, or squeaking-.

The squeaking was still happening. And something’s touching his leg.

When he looked down, he nearly jerked back in shock. There was a fucking bat half buried in the blankets still out here. He… guessed that made sense. Bats are usually attracted to Vampires.

As much as he wants to get it out of here, he’ll leave it alone for your sake.

“Alright, little guy, let’s… get you back in there-” and off of his leg. He reached down, carefully trying to pick the bat up. But, it was… weirdly strong.

Another squeak, and familiar eyes staring back up at him. He paused.

“M… Missy?” When the bat began purring- which he was sure regular bats couldn’t do- he realized this wasn’t a regular animal. This was… you.

Knowing he recognized you, you let him lift you up. He stared down at you, wide-eyed, and wondering what the hell was going on.

“Why’re you- wh-... when could you do this?” You gave him a small chittering noise, blinking tiredly at him. You crawled along his arm, feeling him tense up so he wouldn’t move or let you fall.

You climbed around his shoulder, laying down in his hood. A happy “mrrp” left you as you settled in, a constant purr coming from you now.

Red was too afraid to move. He didn’t know about this- that you could turn into this. What does he do? Does he go back inside? Does he stand still and let you sleep?

When Boss called for Red, he realized he had to move.

Slowly, Red began to walk back inside, not wanting to jostle you too much. You still squeaked in protest, but didn’t really move from his hood.

Boss stood at the counter, food sitting in front of him and sipping from a coffee mug. When asked if you had been found, Red began to sweat. Boss frowned.

“She’s, uh… right back here,” Red mumbled, nodding over his shoulder. Confused, Boss walked over and peeked into the shuffling hood. He jerked his hand back, yelling in shock. You let out a small screech, slightly scared. Mostly angry that you were woken up.

“Red, what is THAT?” “Who do you think it is?! Who’s the only person I’d let do this?!” Boss was quiet, watching in minor horror as you climbed onto Red’s shoulder. You let out a squeak of protest as Red picked you up, handing you over to a stock-still Boss.

“Take her- I gotta call Sylvi, or… Arle… someone.” Boss hesitated, before slowly taking your small form out of Red’s grasp. Red scurried up the stairs to find his phone.

Boss could easily see how sluggish you were, honing in on the fact that you were exhausted. Shaking off his shock, Boss hurried to the living room. He held you in one arm, cradling you to his padded rib cage, and grabbed a throw pillow from the couch.

He placed the pillow on the table, before putting you on top of it carefully.

“Don’t let anyone know I let you sit on the table,” he grunted, going to the kitchen. You whined at the loss of heat, but didn’t move. Instead, you just sat there and squeaked like a kitten. A hungry, needy kitten.

Boss would never admit, not even to himself, how adorable he found it.

When he came back to the kitchen, he had a small bowl of scrambled eggs and a bowl of blood. You looked up at him and chirped, refusing to move.

“What is it,” he asked. You squeaked again, and he sighed.

“Why did I think you would answer me,” he mumbled, rubbing his temples tiredly. You squeaked again, and Boss realized you were curled in on yourself.

“Cold,” he grunted, tapping his foot as he thought about what he could use to warm you without drowning in fabric.

He hurried to the linen closet, pulling out one of the thicker dish towels. It’s not a true blanket, but it should be better than nothing.

Boss returned, draping the towel over you. You huffed, but accepted that this was the best you’d get right now. You crawled to the edge of the pillow, alternating between eating the eggs and drinking blood.

When Red came back downstairs, he saw you on the pillow eating. Boss was sitting next to you, digging into his own breakfast. Red’s plate was across from your own. Feeling his magical stomach growl, he came to the table to eat.

“Called Sylvi,” Red said between bites of bacon. Boss perked up, giving his brother his full attention.

“Sylvi said that all Vampires can do this- it’s a kinda… low maintenance mode, so to speak. When they get really tired, they can revert to this form to get recuperate. She said since Missy’s more… instinctually driven-” a squeaky protest interrupted him- “she probably didn’t even realize she did it until she woke up.”

You didn’t make a noise of denial, so Red assumed that he- and Sylvi- are correct.

“She said it’s nothin’ to worry about- Missy’ll change back on her own when she’s not as exhausted.” Red could see his younger brother relax a little. The shorter skeleton hid a fond smile. He knew Boss was just as worried about you as he was, and was glad he could ease Boss’ mind a bit.

“Of course you find something else to make us worry about,” Boss huffed, masking his relief. Red could clearly tell you weren’t paying attention, too focused on the food to listen to Boss and his bull.

Red rolled his eyelights, going back to his breakfast. The three of you ate in silence, said silence only broken by your happy chirps and purring.

When you were done eating, you forced yourself to get up. You crawled over to Boss, dropping into his lap. He jumped, holding his hands up in confusion. Red couldn’t help but snicker, snapping Boss out of his stupor. Boss huffed, a glowing blush on his cheek bones.

“Oh, make yourself comfortable, why don’t you,” he grunted, finishing off his food. You chirped when he picked you up, carefully balancing you on his shoulder. You clung on happily, settling in against his neck with a low purr. His blush shone brighter, making Red snicker.

“What’s amusing to you, brother,” Boss grunted, taking his, and your, dishes to the sink. Red smirked slightly, deciding to drink his coffee instead of answer. Boss grunted.

“That’s what I thought,” the taller skeleton muttered. Dishes washed and put up to dry, Boss began to walk out. Red swallowed.

“Where ya goin’?” “I’m going to see if we have any mail- I’ll make sure the sun doesn’t burn her.” Red clammed up, a little embarrassed he was so transparent. He drank his coffee again, making Boss roll his eyelights. Boss walked out.

You hissed softly at the daylight, but moved to crawl under the collar of his shirt. You hid on his shoulder, not bothering to peek out from under the fabric. Boss shuddered slightly- that’s a weird sensation- before moving to the mailbox.

He pulled out what was in there, feeling you purring against his bones. It was… odd. But, strangely nice. Normally, he doesn’t like animals.

Maybe it’s because he knew this wasn’t actually an animal on him.

“No time to get sappy, you idiot,” he muttered to himself, sure you were asleep. You weren’t, but couldn’t quite ask what he was talking about. He was safe, for now.

Back inside, you popped back out when you were free of the sun. Red was waiting in the living room, and you were passed over to your primary guardian. When Boss left to sort through the mail, Red hesitantly placed you against his rib cage.

You looked up at him, blinking your large eyes at him. He sighed slightly.

“... I’m sorry you got exhausted enough to be like… this,” he mumbled, placing a hand over your small body. You chittered, digging the tips of your wings into his sweater. You settled against his chest, intending to sleep on him until he forcibly moved you.

“I should’ve kept you from getting caught in the first place.” Red didn’t see your ears perk, and kept going.

“It’s my damn job to take care of you, and I let this happen. God… I just-.” He stopped when he felt you move. You crawled up to him, nudging under his chin with a weak purr.

Then, you slapped a wing against his mouth.

He jerked his head back a little, but your wing didn’t move. Sockets widening, he stared for a moment. Then, he began to laugh. You moved your wing at the noise, settling back down on his chest. He shook his head, wrapping you up in his jacket and zipping it up. Your purr grew in volume as he patted your back.

“I know I’ll get an earful of it later, now that I know you’re actually hearin’ me,” he snorted, getting comfortable and turning the tv on. He propped his feet up on the rest of the couch, leaning back against the arm with you zipped up against his chest.

Your purring lessened again as you relaxed, ears drooping happily and eyes closing as you readied yourself to sleep. You missed the fond, almost loving look Red gave you.

“You just sleep, sweetheart. You can yell at me when you’re back to normal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm currently taking writing commissions! Come to my tumblr's commission page- itsthesinbin.tumblr.com/commission-info - for prices and rules!
> 
> You can message me directly through tumblr, twitter (buttbuttbrigade), or email me at taylorthewritingqueen@gmail.com (this is a strictly business email so please do not send anything other than commission inquiries)!


	31. Safe and Secure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey whats up hope u enjoy the chapter <3

Blue can admit that your small form is extremely adorable. While you recovered, he’d carry you around- if Papyrus or Red didn’t get to you first- and pitch puzzle ideas to you. You didn’t really respond, but hearing his ideas out loud tended to help point out flaws.

Today was another one of those days. Just you, Blue, and Stretch alone on a calm day. Sans and Papyrus were needed for a meeting, Red and Boss needed to go pick up some things- mostly for you- and Axe and Crooks were still recovering, as well. Blue and Stretch were the only ones able to bat-sit.

Stretch carefully came into Red’s room, not wanting to knock anything out of place. He spotted you taking a nap on Red’s pillow. A small grin eased onto his face as he came over, slowly picking you up. You squeaked in protest as your nap was interrupted.

The look you gave Stretch said Put Me Back Of Sleep. He snickered softly, putting you in the collar of his hoodie.

“Let’s go, bucko. Lunch time.” You gave a huffy churr, placated slightly by the idea of food. You clung to his hood, fidgeting slightly and squeaking. He chuckled slightly as he went down the stairs.

“Seems like you’ve been feeling better,” Stretch pointed out, earning an energetic chirp in response. He chuckled softly, setting you down on your pillow at the table. Blue looked over, grinning happily when he saw you.

“You hungry?” Another loud chirp left you, making Blue snicker.

“Guess so!” He hurried up, bringing your lunch to you. He set the food and blood down, laughing as you dug in. Blue couldn’t help but laugh, bringing his own, and his brother’s, food to the table. Plopping down in his usual seat next to you, Blue began to dig in.

You ate with your usual enthusiasm, destroying the meal and fluids as quickly as your tiny mouth could handle. You chirped up at Blue, giving him the puppy eyes. You were still hungry.

“You know if you eat too much in that form, you’ll throw up.” Yeah, that happened the first day. Multiple times. They finally caught on, and cut back on the food. You weren’t happy about that, and still aren’t.

You chirped angrily, fur bristling. Stretch laughed, watching you waddle off of the cushion to fly off of the table. Or, well, glide and drop to the ground like a bad paper airplane. But, you have fun.

Blue wanted to go after you, but Stretch stopped him. You weren’t really mad, you just wanted to walk around a bit. Blue watched you go with a small sigh, trusting his brother.

You waddled to the living room window, climbing up to the sill to sit. It was bright outside, and the warmth from the window made you begin to purr. The sun wasn’t shining directly on you, so you weren’t in danger of getting burnt.

You began to groom yourself- something Boss would probably yell at you for- when you spotted movement outside. Your ears perked, and your pupils slit.

The bushes shook, making your body tense. Your mind raced. They were back. You couldn’t fight them. They’re going to kill them.

A deer exited the bushes, racing through the yard. A wolf was following. Your nerves remained frayed. You’d have to tell them about the wolf appearing near the property.

… You can’t speak.

You focused on your reflection, something clicking in your mind as you gazed at the bat in front of you. You weren’t you. If they did come back, you couldn’t fight. You couldn’t warn anyone. You’d be a useless animal.

You backed up, falling off of the windowsill with a thud. A pained squeak escaped you, your body feeling tight and aching. You needed to change. You needed to be you again.

You felt your skin stretch, and your bones shift. A deep ache spread through you, but it wasn’t… particularly painful.

You growled deeply as you finally stopped shifting, your eyes opening to see two human hands. You looked down to a- very naked- human body.

“Missy? Are you okay, we… heard some noise-.” Your head snapped up, catching the brothers standing in the dining room exit. Blue couldn’t help but go bright blue, slightly covering his eye sockets. Stretch, more accustomed to the random nakedness that seems to plague your existence, simply looked concerned.

You stood, eyes wild as you stared at the two. All Stretch could do was open his mouth before you made a mad dash for the stairs. Stretch called out to you, but his only response was Red’s door slamming shut.

Blue opened his sockets, looking up towards the stairs. He stood up straighter, heading to the second floor.

“Bro-.” “I got it, Pap!” Stretch tried to catch up with him.

“Sans, wait-!” Stretch sighed as Blue disappeared up the staircase.

Blue went to Red’s door, hesitating slightly. It’s… been a while since he was left alone with you during an episode. He… could do this! He’s just as capable as his brother, or Red!

He knocked on the door, making the shuffling inside cease. He hesitated, growing a bit nervous as he slowly pushed the door open.

“Missy? Are, uh… are you clothed?” He stepped in, seeing some of your clothes strewn on the ground, mixed with Red’s own.

You were at the window, looking back at Blue over your shoulder. His face fell, seeing the terrified look on your face.

“Uh… Missy-” The moment he moved, you darted under the bed. He jumped slightly at the sudden movement.

For once, Blue was at a loss. Normally, he could help you with your problems. When… the others were here. His fingers tightened on his shirt, wringing it nervously. He could do this- he just… needed to talk to you.

Slowly, he walked over to the bed, leaning down to peek under the bed. You were against the wall, staring at him intently. Blue swallowed.

“Missy, uh… what’s… what’s going on?” Good question, idiot.

“... What if they’re coming back,” you asked, voice barely audible. Blue wouldn’t have caught it if he wasn’t paying attention. He frowned slightly.

“They… the hunters?” You nodded frantically.

“They’re not coming back, Missy- they got arrested, remember?” You tapped your fingers against the floor, shaking your head.

“There are more. What if they come for me? I don’t want you all to die.” You were growing more panicked, breathing picking up and a high pitched trill settling behind your voice. Blue hesitated.

He should have known it wouldn’t be as easy as “let her rest, she’ll forget”. Foolishly, he hoped you’d be able to move on. Bring things back to how they were before you were taken. He knew it was impossible, but there was always the hope.

“... They’re not going to come back,” Blue said, determined. He reached under the bed, holding a hand out to you. You stared at him, clearly doubtful.

“Mister Leonardo is keeping close watch, and we’ve made our puzzles more advanced. We have cameras set up. We’re safe.” He reached back a little further, eyes glowing softly. Shakily, you grabbed his hand and let him help you out.

Both of you kneeled on the floor, Blue gently brushing the dust bunnies off of you. He helped fixed your clothes, having been thrown on haphazardly in the middle of your panic attack. You watched Blue for a moment, feeling your eyes begin to burn.

“... Blue,” you muttered, causing him to look up at you. You took in a heavy breath, blinking out the tears settled in your eyes. He jerked his hands back, thinking he had made you upset.

“I’m tired,” you sobbed, moving to sit fully on the floor. You curled your legs up, resting your arms on your knees. You repeated the sentence again, hiccuping.

Blue’s shoulders drooped slightly, at a loss for words. He moved closer, putting his hands on your shoulders. When you didn’t move, he pulled you in for a hug. You clung to him, digging your nails into the back of his shirt.

“... You won’t be tired forever, Missy,” he finally said, looking up as Stretch finally entered the room. The taller skeleton leaned against the doorframe, giving Blue a reassuring smile. Blue relaxed slightly, before looking down at the ground.

“You have us- we’re not going to let anything happen to you, or each other, again. Alright?” You were silent for a moment, before nodding. You were just… too tired to argue with him about it. You did trust him, but… it was hard to believe it.

Stretch came over, making himself kind of loud so you knew he was coming. He crouched down, patting your head and his brother’s back.

“Everything cool up here,” Stretch asked, eyeing Blue. You both were quiet, before you picked your head up and nodded.

“Yeah… I… I’ll be fine.” Stretch frowned, before standing up. He helped both of you off of the ground, wrapping an arm around your shoulders.

“Yeah, you will be, honey. We’ll help you get there.” You wiped your face off, nodding slightly. Blue held your hand, the two skeletons leading you back downstairs.

“... Here, come with me,” Stretch said, moving towards the basement. The two of you hesitated- normally not many people were allowed down there. Stretch motioned for you guys to follow him.

“Come on. No one’ll get upset- promise.” You and Blue glanced at each other, before following Stretch downstairs.

The basement was full of different monitors and tech, and a huge machine was sectioned off in a glass container. Some generators were in the sectioned off area, with backups hanging at the very back of the room. For some reason, you were drawn to the giant machine.

“Come here.” Blue pulled you towards a desk, bringing your attention back to what was going on.

Stretch pulled up to a computer, pulling up a couple different screens. There were various scenes of the surrounding woods. He cycled through the cameras, showing you empty plots and some animals that sat near the cameras.

“Set up all over the place. If someone sneaks by- human or monster- we’ll be alerted. It’s designed to recognize our SOULs, too, so if an uninvited guest arrives, we’ll know. You’re safe.” You felt the heaviness in your chest ease off a little bit. Your grip on Blue’s hand tightened, and a small chitter left you. Blue grinned up at you.

“See! No one’ll come by!” You stared at the screen, watching Stretch cycle through the cameras. He didn’t stop, even when it just recycled into the original views. He kept going until you put your hand in his shoulders.

Some new tears slipped down your face, but you weren’t as upset as earlier. A small smile settled on your face as he stood, pulling you into a hug. You wrapped your free arm around him, still holding onto Blue’s hand.

“Thank you”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm currently taking writing commissions! Come to my tumblr's commission page- itsthesinbin.tumblr.com/commission-info - for prices and rules!
> 
> You can message me directly through tumblr, twitter (buttbuttbrigade), or email me at taylorthewritingqueen@gmail.com (this is a strictly business email so please do not send anything other than commission inquiries)!


	32. This is Halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> told you the holiday parts wouldn't be on the actual holidays. this is PLOT.

Halloween was approaching, bringing a welcome change to the skeletons’ household. Everyone was mostly healed from the… Incident, and were ready to move on with their lives. You were all ready for some fun, and being the holiday for monsters was an ideal time for some REAL fun.

Today was a chill day. You got everyone into the cabin, even the hermits living in their own shack, to watch Halloween movies. Sans, Red, and Stretch got the whole spread out for movies- popcorn, candy, soda (and some booze for some of the guys), you name it.

It’s been a few hours, and you’re already into your second movie. The Nightmare Before Christmas. You vaguely remember watching the movie as a kid, but don’t remember it too well. Needless to say, you were in love with it.

You were nestled between two Papyri- Crooks and Boss. Crooks was grinning widely, excitedly singing along when he remembered the lyrics to some of the music. Boss rolled his eyelights, but didn’t mind when you leaned against him. Ever since you returned, he’s been MUCH more lenient on you touching him.

Blue sat at your feet, leaning back against your legs as the movie played. He was messing around with a rubix cube, when a thought crossed his mind.

“What’s everyone dressing up as for Halloween,” he asked suddenly. Everyone was quiet for a moment, before Sans grinned.

“A lazy bastard.” Red snorted, and Papyrus reprimanded him for the bad language.

“You already are one, shithead,” Red joked, earning a smack from his brother. Red snickered anyway, and Sans rolled his eyelights. Blue huffed, crossing his arms.

“Seriously! Halloween’s gotta be fun- what are we dressing up as!” You were quiet for a minute, thinking about it as you watched the movie. Hm…

“I think I wanna be Sally,” you finally said. Almost immediately, three loud voices exclaimed they wanted to be Jack. You looked between Crooks, Blue, and Boss in confusion. Why were they suddenly yelling?

“... Maybe I wanna be Jack,” Axe grinned, leaning back against the beanbag he sat on. Boss glared at him, and Blue gave him a slightly sour look. Axe turned his gaze to you.

“Who do YOU think would be the best Jack?” You frowned at him a little bit, confused and slightly concerned.

“Uh… I dunno. In theory, you’d all be pretty good, I guess?” It’s a costume, you thought, why did it matter?

“Well… I’ll make the best costume,” Blue declared, jumping up and running to his room. Boss gaped, before growling and hurrying around the couch.

“Not before I do, you little cretin!” You watched the two run upstairs, jumping slightly when Crooks almost knocked you off of the couch when he stood.

“Sorry, friend! But I need to make my costume, too!” He jogged to the door, too excited to think about watching the rest of the movie. Axe let out a small sigh, but he was clearly amused.

“Eh, I think I’d rather help my bro make a costume than try to make my own. See you later, sweets.” He winked at you- you think- and leisurely followed after Crooks.

Everyone was silent, stunned, and slightly distressed, on your part.

“What the hell just happened,” Stretch said, breaking the silence. Red grunted, moving to look at his phone instead of the movie. Papyrus fidgeted slightly, taking Crooks’ seat.

“We can restart this part of the movie, if you want,” Papryus offered. You nodded slightly, missing the last few minutes because of the outbursts. Papyrus rewound the movie, settling next to you as he pressed play.

You tried to forget about the strange incident, opting to go back to enjoying the movie. It was a bit hard, when your original movie buddies weren’t even near you, anymore. Papyrus made up for it, though, by enthusiastically singing along in place of Crooks. Red also took Boss’ place, letting you link an arm with him.

After the movie ended, Papyrus rushed to the movie shelf to pick out another one. Everyone began to move to either get more food, or- in your case- take a bathroom break.

As you exited the bathroom, you were face to face with Blue. He was in… the cutest Jack Skellington costume you’ve ever seen. You didn’t know a skeleton could look any chubbier than the Sanses already do.

“What do you think,” he grinned, stars in his eyelights. You looked the costume over. It was very well made, despite the short amount of time he had to make it.

“... It’s cute,” you offered, not really knowing what else he was looking for. It seemed to be the correct answer, as his eyelights seemed to glow brighter. His grin grew, and he struck a pose.

“We’ll be the best couple out on Halloween, won’t we!” Wait.

“C… couple?” Blue paused, still grinning, before his eyelights went out completely. His face turned into a lamp with how bright it became. He dropped his pose, fidgeting slightly.

“I, uh… I didn’t mean it like- ah…” He stared at you for a moment, eyelights still out, before booking it back to his room. He slammed the door shut, not even giving you a chance to come after him.

What was that all about?

You stared after him, brows knitted in confusion. Slowly, you made your way back to the stairs.

You didn’t mean to embarrass him, if you did. You were just surprised. You didn’t expect him to say “couple”. Maybe he just got too excited.

You were stopped at the top of the stairs by a hand grabbing your shoulder. Looking back, you found Boss. He was in a… unique version of Jack Skellington’s suit. It made him look much more sinister than he should, as Jack. He made his fangs appear even sharper, somehow. He added a few more cracks to his skull, and more sharp edges too the suit.

“What do you think? The best you’ve seen, correct?” You were silent, trying to break it to him that it wasn’t… really the vibe needed for Jack.

“Uh… it’s creepy, but… Jack Skellington isn’t really… that,” you finally said, stammering slightly as you saw him get a little discouraged. He straightened, sneering slightly.

“The way the so called “Skeleton King” presents himself is disgraceful to all Skeletons! I thought I’d make it more appropriate- and more fitting of a TRUE king.” He grinned, striking his usual threatening pose. You gave a strained smile. He looked into it WAY too hard.

“Uh… I just think you’d scare kids.” His face fell, and he immediately dropped the pose to cross his arms.

“Is that not the point of the holiday?” “Well, yeah, but not terrorize them.” You can just imagine him going way too overboard with the scares, and legitimately terrify some children just walking down the street.

“... Fine.” You tried to tell him that you still liked the costume, but he ignored you. He went to his room, slamming his door shut. You frowned, jumping slightly when Papyrus called you down for the next movie. You hesitated, wanting to see if you could talk to Boss. Upon hearing fabric rip as you got closer, though… you decided to wait for him to calm down.

You sat back down, settling next to Papyrus. You reached for your cup, finding it empty. You must’ve forgot to refill it.

“Be right back,” you muttered, letting Papyrus pause the film while you went to refill your drink.

“Mind handing me a beer,” a voice asked, startling you. You turned quickly, finding Axe standing in the kitchen. When did he get in there? How long was he there?

After you got over your shock, you handed him one of the bottles of beer. He popped it open while you poured another soda for yourself.

“So, I got a proposal, sweets.” You hummed slightly, letting him know you’re listening.

“My bro really wants to go trick or treating with you- he’s trying his best to make a costume to show you’d be a good match, but he’s… havin’ trouble without me, to put it simply.” He watched you put the soda back in the fridge as you thought about it.

Crooks could definitely look the part- tall, and despite his teeth and sunken eyes, he wouldn’t terrify kids like Boss would.

“Uh… just us three, by the way- not the whole circus in there.” Oh. You… wouldn’t mind that, actually. You haven’t been able to hang out since the incident, and you really miss them. You just know Blue and Papyrus are going to be a bit disappointed, and Red… ugh. You don’t even want to think about how defensive he’s going to be about you going out.

“... Yeah, I think I’d like to go with you guys,” you finally said, hoping the consequences aren’t going to be overwhelming. His grin widened.

“Great. We’ll get to work on the costume and have it done by Halloween. Good luck with the stiffs,” he snorted, nodding towards the living room where the rest of the skeletons were. You sighed slightly, giving him a half-hearted thanks. He snickered, patting your back and exiting the kitchen. When you left, he was already gone. Ugh. Teleporting.

You returned to the couch, plopping next to Papyrus. You leaned against Red again, feeling him heat up slightly. Excitedly, Papyrus started the next movie.

Eh… you’ll wait to tell them about your Halloween plans after the movies are over.


	33. You're not the Boss of Me

Telling the others about your Halloween plans had been, thankfully, relatively painless. Red wasn’t quite happy with the idea, but he trusted Axe and Crooks enough to watch you- and be more vigilant than what happened last time. Blue almost argued against it, but Stretch managed to reel him in. Sans and Papyrus were chill with it, and even offered to help make your costume.

Boss, however… He was extremely displeased.

Boss entered the dining room after his usual midday workout, pausing as he saw you at the table. You were next to Crooks, both of you working on your Sally dress. Sans and Papyrus were working on Crooks’ Jack Skellington costume, and Axe was lazily fixing a sheet for him to be Zero.

You looked up at Boss’ grunt, seeing him stomp into the kitchen. A frown settled on your face, and you accidentally pricked your finger on a needle.

The hiss you let out startled Crooks, who looked down to see you nursing on your finger to try and get the blood to stop. His sunken eye sockets widened, before he pulled your hand away from your mouth.

“That is unsanitary! I will be right back- do not mess with it!” You tried to stop him- it was just a small prick, after all- but he hurried to the bathroom. You sighed slightly, before letting out an amused huff when Sans started snickering.

“Like Pap, he gets worried easily”. You looked to see Papryus looking at your finger warily, and you assured him you were alright.

Crooks returned with a washcloth and band aid. To help him chill out, you let him rub at it with the cloth for a moment before putting the band aid on the tiny injury. He grinned, sitting back next to you.

“All better!” You thanked him with a laugh, and you settled back into making your patched dress. You heard the fridge door slam shut, making you suppress the urge to roll your eyes.

He’s been so pissy since you said you were going out with Crooks and Axe for Halloween, and was being very passive aggressive about things.

“... Is that really the best you four could come up with?” You grit your teeth, holding back a growl. Papyrus looked down at the suit, beaming in pride.

“Yes! It looks almost identical to the one in the movie, Boss!” Boss sneered, before moving behind you to look at the Sally dress.

It was patchy, and misshapen, much like how Sally’s was in the movie. It wasn’t an identical replica like Sans’ and Papryus’ suit, but Crooks was insistent on making it with you alone. He wanted it to be special, he had said, and you were fine with it. It was fun.

Boss was making it very NOT fun, though.

“I could make a better dress,” he grunted, taking a sip from his water bottle. A soft growl left your throat, pupils slit as you stared angrily at the fabric in front of you.

Sans began to sweat slightly, and Papyrus shifted uncomfortably at the angry glare on your face.

“Then go make one for yourself,” you hissed over your shoulder, sending him a hard stare. Boss reeled back, sockets widening slightly before a scowl crossed his features.

“If I do that, you’ll just be jealous of my sewing skills!” He started to walk off, and you stood in response.

“Can I talk to you,” you growled, causing him to pause.

“... If you must,” he grunted, heading up to his room. You moved away from your chair, pushing it in and heading for the stairs. Sans tried to stop you, knowing things could get volatile.

Much to his dismay, you ignored him. You simply told Crooks you’d be back, before ascending after the rude skeleton. The three at the table exchanged glances, before returning to their projects.

You caught Boss at the end of the stairs, seeing him glaring at you as you approached. You hesitated for a moment, before gesturing for him to go to his room. He huffed as you shut the door behind you both.

“What is your problem? Ever since I said I was going out with Crooks and Axe, you’ve been… even worse than usual!” Boss sneered, sitting on his bed. He didn’t answer, only riling you up more.

“Is it because I said your costume would freak people out? Are you that upset about it?” He scoffed, and you hissed angrily.

“Then what is it, you- you pompous FUCK,” you screeched, making him freeze up. You swallowed thickly, eyes widening when you realized how you snapped. His scowl deepened, and he stood again.

“You want to know why I’m so angry? I just don’t want you going off with them,” he yelled, stomping over to you. You backed up a little, but he paid no mind.

“Last time you were left alone with them, you got kidnapped! You think I want you going off again?!” You bristled. He’s blaming them for that?

“You’re blaming THEM for something I caused?! Are you delusional? It’s not their fault- I was being hunted before I even got here!” You pushed on his ribs, pushing him away from you. He stumbled a bit, snarling.

“You didn’t cause anything! If you were at the house with us, none of that would have happened-.” “Or ALL of us would’ve been captured, you thick idiot!” His sockets widened.

“You CAN’T blame Axe and Crooks for that- no one could’ve seen it coming!” He crossed his arms.

“I can blame them, and I am. It’s their fault you were taken-.” You growled, turning heel and heading to the door.

“And where are you going?!” “Back to someone who actually CARES about what I have to say, since all you want is to pass blame and not fucking listen!” You threw the door open, making it slam into the door-stopper. You didn’t bother closing it as you stomped down the stairs.

Boss hurried after you, grabbing your arm. You tensed up, heart hammering in your chest.

“You are NOT going with them-!” You screamed, full of fury and confusion, and lashed out at him. You hit him square in the ribs, knocking him to the ground. Your breathing quickened dangerously, and your skin felt hot and tight. Like you were trying to rip through it.

Boss stared up at you, a vision of teeth and claws and rage. If he had a throat, he’d be swallowing a lump stuck in it. He locked gazes with slitted pupils, not knowing how to feel about being in this position.

You glared at him, hunched and growling. You ignored as doors opened, as feet ran towards you both. You heard Stretch calling your name, but you didn’t respond.

“Don’t you EVER grab me like that,” you roared, words slurring as mouth turned to muzzle. Stretch and Blue hurried over, trying to pull you back from Boss. You hissed, swinging your arm and knocking Stretch into the wall.

You heaved, looking between the three. Cramped. Crowded. You needed to go.

You hurried down the stairs, shifting fully from human to bat as you rushed out the front door. You ignored the calls and pleas to come back, running off into the woods surrounding the cabin.

You ran for a while, stopping at a small pond. Shakily, you dropped to the ground next to it, trying to catch your breath.

God, you can’t believe you did that. Boss was one thing, but getting at Stretch like that? What the fuck was wrong with you?

… Boss had no right to say that shit, though. It wasn’t Axe’s, or Crooks’, fault that you were taken. It was only yours. You were the one they were after. Axe and Crooks were caught in the crossfire. 

You couldn’t believe Boss would say that shit.

You heard someone walking towards you, making your fur raise threateningly. When you turned, you found Red walking towards you. Your growling lowered, but you were still on edge. He didn’t walk any closer than necessary, giving you your space.

“Boss told me what happened- and I know what I heard from my room.” You were quiet, turning back around to not look at him. You were angry. Ashamed. You didn’t want to see it, nor hear it.

“You know I’m not angry at ya, right,” he said gently, moving to sit near you. “If I’m mad at anyone, it’s him. Shouldn’t have riled you up like that.” You grunted.

“Not about me. He shouldn’t have said that shit about THEM,” you snapped, giving him a sideways glare. You looked down into the water, seeing your muzzle blocking most of your view. You were beyond pissed.

“It’s not their fault that happened- I don’t know why Boss decided NOW was a good time to fucking… say that.” You sat up, huffing at the strain in your arms.

“Is he that pissed off I didn’t… think his costume was good or something? Is he mad I’m spending time with them? I don’t care what his deal is, he can fuck off.” You stood, shaking your fur out. Red sighed.

“He’s just… worried-.” Your growling increased.

“I don’t give a SHIT if he is! He had no right to say it was THEIR fault for what happened!” You knew Crooks, despite him saying otherwise, DID blame his lack of awareness for getting caught. Axe had started to become even more on guard, flinching at every sharp noise or sudden movement. The brothers already blamed themselves. You didn’t need anyone else blaming them, either.

Red was quiet, not really knowing how to respond. He could see both sides, but agreed that Boss shouldn’t have reacted the way he did. He didn’t necessarily BLAME Axe and Crooks, but he was… wary, about leaving you alone with them.

When you looked at him, and saw the look on his face, you knew what he was thinking. 

“Crooks and Axe don’t deserve this,” you growled, heading back towards the cabin. You heard Red sigh, and begin to follow, but didn’t say anything to him.

When you two returned, Crooks was gone. Sans told you he went home, which only made you feel worse. Papyrus offered to finish your costume for you, but you shook your head.

“Crooks and I are finishing it, even if we do it at his place.” You grabbed the dress, and sewing supplies, and began to walk out.

“Sweetheart, wait-.” You growled, heading out anyway. Red ran a hand over his skull, and Sans let out a heavy sigh.

“What the hell are we gonna do,” Red mumbled, earning a shrug from Sans. Red’s jaw tightened, and he went upstairs.

He’s gotta have a talk with his brother, after this fucking mess.


	34. Spooky Skeletons aren't so bad

Red is fucking tired of the fighting. You and Boss had been at each other's’ throats for a week. Boss was passive aggressive, and at this point you were full-on aggressive. Even Red couldn’t escape your anxiety-induced growling and snapping. The only two you were calm with, even if it hurt his feelings a little to think about it, were Axe and Crooks.

Today, however, Red had an idea. It’s probably a TERRIBLE idea, but it’s the only one Red had. Boss refused to listen, you refused to talk. He just hoped it worked.

Haunted houses were popular during Halloween season, and what better way to make you two talk than to force you two to go through one together. Red just had to do this perfectly.

Or, at least, execute it in a way you two think it wasn’t planned.

The drive to the haunted house that night was terrible. It was quiet, and you were continuously growling. You and Boss would exchange heated glances when you thought the other was looking, and Red was starting to have trouble distinguishing them from angry looks and weirdly-attracted-to-each-other looks. He REALLY hoped it was the former.

The attraction wasn’t too busy yet, as it hadn’t been open long. Perfect.

Pulling into the lot, Red parked the car. Boss refused to drive, for once, because he thought the whole thing was silly. Thank fuck he went along with it when Red told him that you were going. Boss may be pissed at the situation, but he still doesn’t want to leave you alone with anyone.

Exiting the car, you all looked up at the house. It was a bit generic looking, in terms of “haunted house” design, but not terrible. There was a concession stand nearby, and bathrooms set up. Trying not to start sweating, Red executed his plan.

“Why, uh… why don’t you two go ahead inside? I’m, uh… Blue’s taco salad is really startin’ to kick my ass.” Boss gave him an odd look, and you had a pleading gaze. Red chose to ignore both, heading to the bathrooms before he lost his nerve.

You both growled in annoyance as Red left. You glanced at Boss, before stalking towards the entrance. That seemed to snap the taller skeleton out of whatever anger-induced funk he was in.

“Where are you going?” Boss hurried after you. You didn’t look back, getting in line.

“In,” you grunted, pulling out the money Red gave you to get a ticket into the haunted house. Boss sighed, frustrated, as he did the same. He guessed he was going in with just you. Like hell he was letting you go in alone.

The opening to the house was cheesy- cobwebs and creaky floorboards. Unlike most haunted attractions, it wasn’t linear either. The small, opening hallway splintered off into three different paths.

You two stood at the opening to the paths, glancing between the different themed hallways. One was dark and dingy, one was a rickety looking staircase, and one was a brightly lit staircase. The rickety staircase went up, and the bright one went down.

“Let’s just pick a route and get it over with,” Boss grunted, walking towards the darker hallway. You growled in annoyance, causing him to stop. When he turned, you were making your way to the brighter hallway.

“Where are you going?” “I’m picking my own stupid hallway.” Boss sneered, coming over to you and- with a bit of hesitation- putting a hand on your shoulder. Not gripping, just stopping you. Thankfully, you didn’t get angry and lash out.

“This is ridiculous- are you really going to get so petty over something like this? Just come with me, and-.” Now you wretched your shoulder away, glaring at him. Ignoring the people passing you two by, you snarled.

“Why should I go with you? Maybe I want to go by myself!” Boss’ gaze flicked to a couple that went up the stairs, hearing the muttering to themselves. His cheekbones turned a shade of red, and he tried to guide you down a hallway.

“Let’s continue this discussion later-!” “Maybe I want to talk now! Maybe I don’t give a shit if anyone hears us!” He frowned, crossing his arms.

“You are acting like a child.” “I’M acting like a child?! YOU’RE treating me like one! Like a kid got out of sight for two seconds and you blame the babysitter when she comes back with a scraped knee!” Boss couldn’t help the sigh that escaped him, which only fueled your anger.

“Are you still on about that?” “Yes! Because it’s stupid and unfair!” The two of you stared each other down, angry and frustrated. He finally threw his hands up in defeat.

“Fine! Pick whatever path you want,” he snapped, making you flinch back slightly. You turned before you could see the flash of regret in his sockets. You stomped down the bright stairwell, staring at the wood and attempting to ignore Boss’ boot falls behind you.

As you stared at the floor, you missed the beginning decorations and motif that hinted at what the area was. Boss, however, was painfully aware of where you two were going.

“We should go back,” he tried to reason, but you growled. You looked up to give him a nasty look, when you caught sight of the room you two had entered.

Medical equipment hung along the stone walls, and a large table with padded shackles sat in the middle. A heart monitor beeped continuously, the fake body on the table declared dead due to the droning noise. Faintly, you heard footsteps in the next area, coming towards you.

“Missy.” You didn’t move. Boss placed his hands on your shoulders, forcefully turning you around. You struggled slightly, but he held you in place. You looked up at him, angry and disoriented.

Despite his previous tone, any trace of frustration was gone. He gazed at you worriedly, his grip on your shoulders loosening as your struggling calmed down. His hands slid from your shoulders, grasping your cheeks loosely. Making sure you looked him in the sockets.

“We are going to walk back upstairs. We are going to go outside, find Red, and go somewhere else. We can talk outside. Okay?” His voice was demanding- soft and comforting. Your eyes burned, tears dripping onto his thumbs. He rubbed them away, before moving his arm around your shoulders.

Boss pressed you to his side, looking up as the actor came into the room. He made a ‘cut it out’ motion, telling the actor not to start his routine. The human, seeing you trembling in Boss’ hold, nodded and shuffled back into their hideout.

The skeleton led you up the stairs, a family moving out of your way. One of the parents gave you a sympathetic smile, and Boss apologized for having to squeeze by.

“You two alright,” the bird monster at the opening asked, concerned. Boss nodded.

“Yes, just- Some things have come up. Your establishment seems nice, but we need to leave.” Boss ushered you away as the woman said a worried goodbye.

“There’s some benches to the right,” she called out, earning a rushed “thank you” from Boss.

Boss sat you down, leaving for only a moment to rush to the car. He returned with your bottle of water, sitting with you as you chugged it. You didn’t realize your throat had gotten so dry from the panic.

The two of you sat quietly. Boss waited for you to speak, and you had no idea what to say.

The frustration of the whole situation settled on your chest, making your throat tight. More tears rushed down your face, and Boss placed his hands on your shoulders when you began openly crying.

“I don’t want to fight anymore, Boss,” you sniffed, wiping your nose on the back of your hand. Boss couldn’t help the small, disgusted sneer from crossing his face, handing you a tissue. You took it, looking at Boss after you wiped the snot from your face.

“I’m tired of the fighting.” He was quiet, watching you wipe your cheeks with the dirty tissue. His shoulders slumped slightly, and he leaned back against the bench.

“I… have been unfair towards the other two,” he admitted, cheekbones turning a soft red. He wasn’t used to admitting when he was in the wrong.

“I… After we came back and found you three gone, we... I-.” He growled slightly, trying to find the correct way he wanted to say what was on his mind. Finally, he sighed, defeated.

“I thought if I could keep you in my sight, I could keep you safe. I suppose it… was less about not trusting them, than I let on.” He tilted his head back, staring up at the clouds crossing the dark sky. He could feel your eyes on him, but he knew if he looked, he’d clam up. Instead, he went against his instincts, and kept going.

“If I were there, I could keep it from happening again. If I was there, to begin with… It wouldn’t have happened-.” He was cut off as you wrapped your arms around him. He tensed up, finally looking down at you. Your head was resting on his ribcage, and your grip was tight.

“It’s no one’s fault,” you muttered. Boss hesitated, before slowly placing a hand on your back. The tension left his body, and he just sat and listened to you.

“They would’ve gotten me, eventually. Whether I was alone, or with you guys. I was too important to them. Please… I don’t want to fight about this anymore.” You sounded desperate. Tired. You just wanted things to go back to how they were.

Boss felt a tug at his soul at your tone. Felt his breath hitch when you looked up at him- teary eyed and red faced. His face turned a soft red, making your eyes light up in a way that made an odd sensation spread through his chest.

He was almost close enough; all he had to do was move forward, and…

“Boss?” He jerked upright, nearly knocking his bones into your chin. You finally let Boss go, sitting up and wiping the remaining tears from your face.

Red’s eyelights were out, and his usual grin was tense. Boss scowled in response, standing up.

“While you were in the bathroom, some… things happened. We decided that we’d… rather go somewhere else.” Boss glanced down at you, hesitating for a moment before holding a hand out to you.

“Perhaps to eat, instead?” You stared at him for a moment, before giving a tired smile.

“Can we get ice cream?” Boss grunted slightly, helping you to your feet and leading you to the car. You held his hand without thinking, not realizing it made his scarlet blush deepen.

Red stared after you two, hands fisting the fabric inside his pockets. His gaze locked on your hands, the scene from a moment ago still sitting in his mind’s eye.

He jumped as Boss called after him, telling him to hurry up or they’d leave him behind. Hearing your laugh, Red sighed and began shuffling to the car.

Well, his plan worked, it seemed. He didn’t expect you to get this upset, or for… all of that to happen, but… you two stopped fighting. It worked.

He watched his brother grip the steering wheel a touch tighter than usual, saw the odd look in his socket as Boss looked back at you through the rearview mirror. That wasn’t his usual look. It was too soft. Then it was full of realization, before turning stoic and hard, once again. Red couldn’t help the scowl that settled on his face, leaning against the window with a soft thunk.

His plan seemed to have worked a little too well.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [I'll probably change this later...](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16381376) by [TotesNotAnon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotesNotAnon/pseuds/TotesNotAnon)




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